BEIJING: Thursday marks this year’s World Diabetes Day. While many people in China are now keeping a close eye on their blood sugar levels, experts say such rising vigilance against diabetes is necessary and helpful.
By 2021, 141 million people aged 20 to 79 were living with diabetes in China, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). The country’s official data indicated that the prevalence rate of diabetes among adults is around 11.9 percent, meaning that one in every eight adults is affected by this chronic disease.
Recognizing the threat that diabetes and its complications pose to public health, Chinese authorities have intensified their fight against the disease. By 2030, an integrated system for the prevention and treatment of the disease is expected to be in place in the country, according to a document released by the National Health Commission (NHC) in July.
Diabetes is often linked to a wealthy lifestyle, but the positive implications of its rise end there.
The prevalence of diabetes is associated with age, and the mortality rate among elderly patients is significantly higher than those who do not have diabetes, said Guo Lixin, a doctor at Beijing Hospital.
There are approximately 35.5 million people with diabetes aged 65 or above in China, according to the IDF. And that figure is expected to rise as the country’s population continues to age.
Notably, diabetes is increasingly affecting younger generation in China. –Agencies
