Changing lifestyles, obesity lead to more young people getting diabetes

SINGAPORE — Evolving lifestyles and increasing obesity rates have led to more young people getting diabetes, said Senior Minister of State for Health Amy Khor, who urged people to eat more healthily and exercise more.

Speaking at the opening of World Diabetes Day Singapore today (Nov 15), Dr Khor said people are consuming more calories than they burn, resulting in obesity rates climbing from 5.1 per cent of the general population in 1992 to 8.6 per cent in 2013.

Pinpointing obesity as a “primary risk factor” for type 2 diabetes — a common form of the illness that occurs more frequently among those above age 40 — Dr Khor said regular screening for the disease is also crucial.

She also noted that the Health Promotion Board has launched several initiatives under the Healthy Living Master Plan to promote living well. They include the Healthier Dining Programme, in which eateries island-wide offer lower-calorie meals; and the National Steps Challenge, where participants are incentivised to exercise through rewards and lucky draw chances.

In Singapore, an estimated one in nine adults between the ages of 18 and 69 has diabetes, according to the National Health Survey 2010.