Sweetness is not a joy: Russians under 35 are twice as likely to develop diabetes
The incidence of diabetes among young Russians has doubled over the past 10 years, the Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov told Izvestia. The main increase is accounted for by type 2 diabetes, which until recently was considered a disease of the elderly, but today it is often detected even in children. About why diabetes is "getting younger" - in the Izvestia article.
How diabetes became a disease of the young
Type 2 diabetes is increasingly being diagnosed in minors, Galina Strakhova, associate professor of the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology at the Institute of Continuing Education and Professional Development at Pirogov University, told Izvestia.
— Until recently, this type of diabetes was considered a disease of the elderly, but now more and more cases are being detected in children under the age of 18. In 2023, the incidence of type 2 diabetes among adolescents aged 15-17 in Russia reached 9.9 cases per 100,000 population," she noted.
For comparison, from 2014 to 2016, according to the federal register, this figure remained in the range of 7.2–7.9 cases per 100,000 population. At the same time, according to Galina Insurance, the detection rate of diabetes in young people did not exceed 20%.
"Many people have been living with the disease for years, without symptoms, and only learn about it when complications develop," she noted.
Type 2 diabetes is now found even in infants, Timur Nikolaev, founder of the Diabetes Foundation, told Izvestia.
"Children get sick massively," he confirmed. — Many people are overweight now. It's more of a family problem. Parents eat what they want and don't watch what their child eats.
Doctors also warned the 27-year-old interlocutor of Izvestia about the risk of developing diabetes.
— I've had thyroid problems since childhood, and I'm constantly being monitored by endocrinologists. For the last few years, my work has been nervous, I've been sitting in the office for days, I don't eat properly and I don't exercise. I gained a few pounds. Recent tests have shown that if you maintain this lifestyle, you will develop diabetes," she said.
According to her, the prescribed medications helped to normalize the situation a little, but the most difficult thing was to accustom yourself to a balanced diet.
— My mother was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes — she also leads a wrong lifestyle. It is not so easy to find the necessary equipment and medicines," the girl added. — Using a live example, I saw that eating healthy food and exercising is still easier.
Drug therapy for appetite control helps in the fight against diabetes, other people familiar with the diagnosis also told Izvestia.
— A colleague lost 30 kg in six months and went on a proper diet. Sugar returned to normal, and due to new habits, he stopped gaining as before," another interviewee said.
The Invisible Threat
Type 2 diabetes is a time bomb, Timur Nikolaev believes. According to him, critical complications, such as limb amputation, kidney failure, and vision loss, can occur decades after the onset of the disease.
The disease often develops asymptomatically or with barely noticeable signs — for example, with mild fatigue, dry mouth or slight weight gain, Natalia Tananakina, Candidate of Medical Sciences, endocrinologist at the Medicine clinic, noted in an interview with the editorial board.
— People, as a rule, do not associate this with high blood sugar, — the endocrinologist admitted. — High glucose levels and insulin resistance (decreased sensitivity of tissues to insulin — Ed.) can exist for years and not make themselves felt. Moreover, young people are much less likely to come to the attention of specialists. Many people consider type 2 diabetes to be a disease of the elderly, so they are not examined.
Doctors agreed that the "rejuvenation" of diabetes is associated with the prevalence of obesity, unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity. At risk are young people who work in an office, do not get enough sleep, often experience stress, snack on semi-finished products on the run and like sugary drinks.
— In addition, many people have a genetic tendency to insulin resistance, — Natalia Tananakina added. — Combined with environmental factors and an unhealthy lifestyle, this leads to an earlier onset of the disease.
The earlier diabetes begins, the higher the risk of severe complications, Galina Strakhova emphasized. Among the most dangerous are heart attacks, strokes, kidney and eye damage, and vascular atherosclerosis. As well as diabetic foot syndrome — damage to joints, bones and deep tissues, which can lead to amputation of a limb.
Type 2 diabetes is more severe in young people than in the elderly: it is associated with higher mortality and faster development of vascular complications, endocrinologist, deputy chief physician of the K+31 clinic network Svetlana Kanevskaya told Izvestia.
She drew attention to the fact that the disease is "getting younger" all over the world.
— Previously, DM2 manifested itself after 45-50 years, when metabolic disorders accumulated for decades. Today, a young body goes through the same path in 10-15 years: due to the early and more intense exposure to risk factors, the disease begins to form already in childhood and adolescence, she explained.
According to the International Diabetes Federation for 2025, about 252 million people in the world are living with undiagnosed diabetes — more than 40% of all patients with this disease. Most of them have type 2 diabetes. In the case of young patients, Svetlana Kanevskaya believes, the situation is getting worse systematically.
Until recently, clinical guidelines around the world did not require screening before the age of 45, so doctors simply did not prescribe glycated hemoglobin or glucose tests for young people without obvious complaints. It was only in 2021-2022 that professional communities lowered the age threshold to 35 years for overweight or obese people.
Izvestia sent a request to the Ministry of Health, but had not received a response by the time the material was published.
How to prevent diabetes
To prevent type 2 diabetes, it is necessary to eat a balanced diet and monitor weight, advises Svetlana Kanevskaya.
"First of all, you should pay attention to lifestyle," she said. — If a person is overweight, then reducing body weight by even 5-7% and physical activity of 150 minutes per week reduces the risk of developing diabetes by 58%. This is more effective than drug prevention.
Natalia Tananakina recommends going to strength training twice a week, as well as swimming, walking and cycling. Avoid large amounts of simple carbohydrates in the diet and increase the proportion of vegetables, whole grains, protein and healthy fats.
— It is necessary to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels in the blood. Screening is indicated for obesity, a burdened family history, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and hypertension," the doctor noted.
It is necessary to start screening for diabetes at the age of 30, and not at 45, as previously recommended, especially in the presence of obesity, concluded Galina Strakhova.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
