Experts call for early diabetes checks as youth cases rise
Health experts are urging the public to undergo regular screening for diabetes amid rising cases of the chronic disease, which has already affected even younger individuals.
In a press conference on Tuesday, endocrinologist Dr. Elaine Cunanan said those who are 35 years old and above should ideally take a fasting blood sugar test at least once a year in order to check for signs of diabetes, even if they are not exhibiting any symptoms.
“Before, [the ideal age] was 40,” said Cunanan, who is also vice president of the Philippine College of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism. “But we are seeing that [diabetes cases] are increasing and [patients] are getting younger.”
Citing data from the latest National Nutrition Survey of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, she pointed out that 8.5 percent of Filipinos aged 20 years old and above were found to have diabetes in 2023, higher than the 8.1 percent recorded in 2018 to 2019.
Meanwhile, 23.6 percent were found to have borderline diabetes or pre-diabetes, which means that they are at risk of developing diabetes in a span of two to three years if left unchecked.
“[Diabetes] is actually the No. 1 cause of non-traumatic blindness, or blindness that is not caused by an accident,” said Cunanan. “It’s actually the No. 1 cause also of amputation that is not brought about by an accident.”
High obesity rate
“Aside from that, many other organs can possibly be affected,” she added, noting that diabetes can also lead to kidney disease, heart disease and even nerve disease.
Aside from regularly undergoing diabetes screening, Cunanan advised the public to eat healthy foods and exercise often. She stressed the importance of managing one’s weight, noting that obesity is linked to diabetes.
In the same briefing, psychiatrist Dr. Luzviminda Katigbak noted the high prevalence of obesity in the country, pointing out that 41 percent of 29.5 million Filipinos are classified as overweight or obese, according to a recent study conducted by consulting agency MetaHealth.
“This just goes to show that obesity among adults has increased exponentially. So, it started at just around 2 percent around 1993, but as we said earlier, it is now 41 percent,” said Katigbak, who is also the president of the Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity.
“In children, [obesity] is also very high, and we are worried about that because children eventually become adults,” she added. “The eating habits that they have formed will of course carry on through adulthood. So, right now we need to address the youth who have problems with [being] overweight and obesity.”
Economic burden
Moreover, Katigbak noted that obesity imposes a “massive” economic burden on the country’s health-care system, with families spending a large amount of out-of-pocket expenses in treating the disease.
She pointed out that the Philippines loses around P2.7 trillion each year due to obesity, which includes P790.44 billion in health-care costs, P237.28 billion in nonmedical costs and P1.67 trillion in productivity losses.
“Maybe you are thinking that [obesity] is just a symptom. Others, sorry for the term, think it is just laziness. We would like to correct that, that’s a stigma,” said Katigbak. “Obesity is a disease because it is chronic, progressive, and relapsing. [The] good thing is it is treatable.”
To better manage one’s weight, she urged the public to consider modifying their lifestyle by having increased physical activity and healthier eating habits. She also called on other doctors to make a habit of taking a patient’s body mass index as well as their abdominal circumference.
“The family should be actively involved,” Katigbak said. “They can support them by encouraging them to take up physical activities, joining them during walks and runs.”
“[At the] local and national level, we have a responsibility to lobby for laws, initiatives of the government that are geared toward a provision of healthy food choices and [more] opportunities for physical activities for the neighborhood,” she added.
