Diabetes is having a
serious impact on young and middle-aged people in China where the
average age of diabetics is less than that of developed countries,
according to a Chinese diabetes expert.
"Diabetes patients
aged between 40 and 59 are increasing in China while diabetics are
mostly aged between 60 to 69 in developed countries," said Guo
Xiaohui, head of the Endocrinology Department in Beijing University
People's Hospital.
"Although no exact
statistics are available we’re seeing younger diabetes patients and
even some children with acquired diabetes," said Guo, who is also a
member of the Diabetes Branch under the Chinese Medical Association
in Beijing.
"One of my diabetes
patients is only 11-years-old," said Xing Xiaoyan, an endocrinology
professor with the China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing.
China had 23.8
million diabetics aged between 20-79 in 2003 and is expected to
have 46.1 million by 2025, according to a report by the
International Diabetes Federation (IDF).
Over 18.8 billion
yuan (US$ 2.4 billion) is spent on treatment of diabetes in China
every year, according to Xing.
An unhealthy diet and
lack of exercise are to blame, said Ji Linong, deputy director of
the Diabetes Branch.
The disease currently
affects about 200 million people worldwide and the number is
expected to reach 350 million by 2025 with the majority of the
cases occurring in developing countries, according to the IDF.
(Xinhua News Agency November 14, 2006)