Why Should YOUth Care About Diabetes Prevention

Diabetes is no longer an elderly disease. While once one could say that “I am too young to get diabetes”, it has completely become a myth in this century, as more people in their teens, 20s, and early 30s are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes than ever before. In India, most people believe that diabetes is something to happen in their later life, so they continue to live recklessly. Time changes, as well as lifestyle. Long hours, heavy screening time, stress, and eating processed food have quietly reshaped the health patterns. While diabetes was linked to middle age, it can now be found in college campuses, hotels, and offices.

The Rise of Early Diabetes Among Youth

Type 2 diabetes was once called “an old age disease”. Standing in 2025, it sounds like a myth, as prediabetes is rising among young adults in India, especially in cities like Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Delhi. A recent survey discloses that only in Kolkata, 5% of young adults, aged between 18 to 25, are suffering from Type 2 diabetes (Mitra, 2024).

Many people in India believe that being thin is equal to being healthy, but they lack awareness that diabetes does not always come with visible weight gain. Lean individuals can also have high insulin resistance if their diet and sleep are off (Salvatore et al., 2023). There are several reasons behind it:

❖ Minimal exercise

❖ Irregular meals

❖ Sugar-loaded drinks

❖ Poor sleeping conditions

❖ Long study hours

❖ Work pressure

❖ Family history.

College Life and Early Jobs: The Perfect Combination

Think about a regular day of a university student-

Waking up at 10-11:00 a.m. → skipping breakfast → rushing to class with an energy drink filled with sugar → sitting hours at the desk → grabbing junk foods and sweet tea or coffee during break → snacking with deep-fried street food with friends → taking dinner after 11:00 p.m. → staying awake up to 2:30 a.m. for study and phone scrolling.

Sound familiar? It becomes a routine for most of the youths of this generation. It is never the occasional indulgence that hurts the biological system; it is the problem of turning this into a daily routine. Late nights, lack of movement, and erratic eating push the body into stress mode, and over time, it results in visceral fat build-up and blood sugar spikes.

Stress Factor

Youths have so much to stress about, let it be exams, placement tension, or relationship issues. All of these lead to cortisol flooding into the system and increasing blood sugar flow. While stress hormones temporarily raise blood sugar to give energy, if it becomes chronic, then the level becomes higher, leading to a bigger issue (Sharma et al., 2022). Students or young workers who stay anxious to finish studies or work overtime, leading to sleep deprivation for weeks, show early signs of insulin imbalance. Late-night caffeine, junk foods, and emotional eating further unknowingly add to the condition of diabetes. But this stress regulation is not that complicated; in fact, you can do it with some easy steps:

● 4 seconds of breathing rule practice: Inhale for 4 seconds → Hold for 4 seconds → Exhale for 4 seconds.

● Stretching for 5 minutes: Daily stretching can release tension from the muscles and boost endorphins, responsible for a good mood.

● Writing Journal: Journals can be the best option to reflect on the day and keep your thoughts together.

● Replacing doom-scrolling with music: Listening to music can also be therapeutic, and it keeps your mind at ease.

Small Lifestyle Fixes = Big Wins

Preventing diabetes is never bringing a drastic change with endless workouts and skipping meals. Your body loves consistency over intensity. So, include consistent small changes to achieve a big win:

● Hydration Smartly: Replace colas and energy drinks with detox water and coconut water.

● Eat on Time: Do not skip any meal portion.

● Proper sleep: Sleeping for 7-8 hours is the natural sugar regulator

● Energy Store: Eating a banana with peanut butter before studying can give energy

● Add light protein: Include dal, eggs, paneer, or tofu in meals

● Balance eating: If you are having pizza, then skip desserts and add salad with it.