Diabetes is on the rise due to overweight and obesity.

The number of diabetes patients in Vietnam is constantly increasing, rising by over 200% in the last 10 years, mainly due to overweight, obesity, and lack of physical activity… This is the information released by the Ministry of Health as a warning on this year's World Diabetes Day (November 14).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diabetes is currently the sixth leading cause of death and the fourth leading cause of death from non-communicable diseases. 80% of diabetes-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. It is also a major contributor to poverty and hunger. Without preventative action, approximately 600 million people globally could develop diabetes in less than 25 years.

Regarding Vietnam, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Xuyen stated that the number of people with diabetes has increased rapidly over the past decade. Currently, about 5.42% of the adult population has diabetes – double the number in 1990. Notably, up to 60% of people with diabetes are undiagnosed and untreated. More dangerously, out of every 10 patients diagnosed with diabetes, 6 have already developed complications such as blindness, foot ulcers, limb amputation, and kidney damage. Furthermore, while diabetes was previously considered a disease of the wealthy (because most sufferers came from economically well-off families, leading to unhealthy eating habits, consuming too much protein and sugar), the number of people with this disease in Vietnam is now rapidly increasing regardless of economic circumstances and living conditions. Furthermore, the age at which people develop diabetes is getting younger and younger, which is a very alarming issue as it affects the future of the country. While previously, patients were mainly in the 40-45 age group, now there are quite a few patients who are children as young as 11-12 years old.

Professor Nguyen Thy Khue, President of the Vietnam Endocrinology and Diabetes Association, stated that the increase in diabetes in Vietnam is a result of the rapid shift towards urbanized lifestyles, reduced physical activity, and unhealthy diets. Diabetes is entirely preventable with a healthy lifestyle. To prevent the disease, it is necessary to maintain a body weight appropriate for one's developmental stage and engage in physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day. It is also recommended to eat plenty of vegetables, reduce sugar and fat intake, and avoid tobacco. Individuals at high risk, such as those who are overweight or obese, over 45 years old, have gestational diabetes, a family history of the disease, dyslipidemia, hypertension, or women who have given birth to babies weighing over 4 kg, should undergo regular screening. Furthermore, everyone should have blood glucose and blood lipid tests whenever they visit a hospital for any reason.

According to SGGP online