Diabetes rising among India’s youth, Here’s why

Have you noticed more young people around you being told they have diabetes? With increasing obesity, sedentary lifestyles and early-age type 2 diagnosis, the question is: why is diabetes creeping into the teens and twenties and what can be done about it?

New Delhi: India, long known for a high burden of diabetes in adults, is now facing an alarming trend: the disease is increasingly affecting younger populations. Recent studies reveal that the onset of Type 2 diabetes mellitus is shifting toward adolescents and young adults, meaning people who were once considered low-risk are increasingly being diagnosed early.

For example, one major Indian study found that in a ten-year span the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in younger individuals rose from 4.5% to 7.8%. The same study noted that after accounting for age, family history, and waist circumference, younger people showed a higher percentage increase in risk than older adults.

What the Numbers Say

Among adolescents in India, one study revealed a prevalence of pre-diabetes/diabetes of 12.3% in boys and 8.4% in girls. Another screening campaign analysing youth under 35 years found diabetes prevalence of 17.9% in those under 35, 13.3% under 30, and 9.8% under 25. These figures are stark given that standard screening guidelines usually begin at older ages.

Your Brain Can “Log Off” Without Warning: What Happens When You Skip Sleep

Why the Rise Among the Young?

Several factors are contributing to the surge among younger age groups:

Lifestyle and obesity:

Obesity and overweight are strongly associated with youth diabetes. Among adolescents, higher body-mass index (BMI) and increased skinfold thickness (a marker of body fat) correlated significantly with pre-diabetes/diabetes. Simultaneously, fewer young people are engaging in moderate to heavy physical activity, while sedentary behaviour is increasing.

Genetic and early exposure risk:

Young individuals with a family history of diabetes are at substantially higher risk. The under-35 screening study found rates as high as 40.1% in those with a family history.

Environmental and metabolic shifts:

Urbanisation, changes in diet (higher fat, higher processed food intake), and metabolic susceptibility among Indians are also implicated in the trend.

Implications: Longer Disease, Greater Risk

When diabetes begins at a younger age, the duration of disease exposure becomes longer. That means a greater window for complications — cardiovascular disease, kidney damage, vision loss and more. Experts warn this could impose a heavier burden on individuals, families and the health-care system.

Is taking your phone to the toilet a health risk? Here’s what you should know

What Can Be Done?

Earlier screening: Given the data, some researchers suggest considering diabetes screening at younger ages, perhaps even from late teens or early twenties especially for those with risk factors.

Lifestyle interventions: Promoting regular physical activity, reducing sedentary time, tackling childhood and adolescent obesity, and improving diet quality are vital. Targeted programmes in schools, communities and workplaces are essential.

Public health awareness and policy: Awareness campaigns aimed at younger age groups, and policy measures to curb junk food, sugary beverages and promote healthier environments will help.

Family-based approach: Given the role of family history, educating entire households on healthy habits and monitoring may protect youths at risk.

Conclusion

The rise of diabetes among young people in India is not merely a shift of age of onset — it is a red flag signalling urgent action. With numbers climbing and risk factors prevalent, the window for prevention lies early. Unless lifestyle, screening and policy measures are scaled up, the country faces a generation living longer but with higher disease burden.