Night Listening｜Is diabetes beginning to drag down young people?

Over the past 40 years, the prevalence of diabetes in my country's population aged 18 and above has continued to grow, reaching 11.2%. In the public's impression, this is a disease of the middle-aged and elderly, but due to unhealthy eating and living habits, more and more young people under 30, and even teenagers of school age, have become diabetic patients.

More and more young people, after finishing a busy day at work, engage in a series of "retaliatory" behaviors, with fried chicken in the left hand and fat water in the right hand. Electronic screens have not only replaced physical exercise, but also encroached on the already limited sleep time. There are many young people who are obese due to excessive stress, and diabetes naturally comes knocking.

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In addition, type 2 diabetes is usually most hereditary. If a parent or sibling has diabetes, then the chance of developing diabetes will be greatly increased. However, if there is a relative with diabetes in the family, it does not mean that the person will be "infected". It depends on the control of blood sugar in the future. In addition, for women who have had gestational diabetes, they still have a higher risk of developing diabetes in the later period, so they should pay more attention to their blood sugar levels.

In 2019, there were 116.4 million adult diabetics in China, which means that one in every two adults has prediabetes. The prevalence of the disease among people aged 18-29 has increased year by year, and is already four times that of 20 years ago! Even with the continuous improvement of medical standards today, diabetes cannot be cured. Most diabetics do not have obvious early symptoms, so treatment is delayed. About 834,000 people die from complications caused by diabetes each year, so complications are the main cause of death among diabetics.

If you feel that you have suddenly lost weight, you still feel hungry even though you eat a lot, you still feel thirsty even though you urinate and drink a lot, or you often feel numbness in your hands and feet, perhaps diabetes has quietly "targeted" you!

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As the saying goes, "control your mouth and move your legs." Diabetes can be delayed or avoided through conscious prevention.

In terms of diet, first of all, we should form a reasonable dietary structure, control the total calorie and carbohydrate intake, ensure a reasonable combination of high fiber, protein, vitamins and trace elements, and the "three lows" of low sugar, low fat and low salt are the key to the dietary structure. Secondly, we should develop reasonable eating habits and eat at regular times and quantitatively. Good eating habits can keep the brain and body with a stable energy source and prevent the blood sugar level from falling.

In terms of exercise, it is recommended that adults perform moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for about 30 minutes 3-7 times a week, such as running, badminton, swimming, etc. The elderly should perform appropriate exercise under the guidance of a professional doctor.

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Reviewer: Liu Bing, deputy chief physician of the Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University