Global diabetes increases, high risk if family history
Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic disorders globally. According to the International Diabetes Federation, there are currently nearly 589 million adults aged 20 to 79 living with the disease, equivalent to about 1 in 9. This number is forecast to increase to 853 million by 2050. In 2024 alone, this disease causes 3.4 million deaths, an average of one person dying every 9 seconds.
The disease occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body uses insulin ineffectively, causing prolonged high blood sugar. According to the World Health Organization, if not well controlled, diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, neurological damage and blindness. Worryingly, symptoms such as thirst, frequent urination, fatigue or weight loss often appear late, when the damage has silently progressed.
Dr. Madhura Jogwar, Head of Laboratory at Metropolis Healthcare Limited, Mumbai, India, said: "Diabetes is not directly hereditary, but insulin resistance and glucose metabolism disorders can be transmitted in the family". People whose father or mother has type 2 diabetes face a significantly higher risk. With type 1 diabetes, the patient's siblings are about 15 times more likely than the general population.
Professor David Nathan, an endocrinology expert at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, USA, said: "Family history is an early warning sign. Periodic screening helps detect pre-diabetes, and lifestyle intervention can still reverse the progression of the disease.
Periodic screening, key to preventing complications
Prediabetes is a stage in which blood sugar rises but does not reach the diagnosis threshold. Many data show that nearly 90% of people with prediabetes are unaware of their condition. Common tests include hunger-fed blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c test reflecting the average three-month blood sugar level, oral glucose tolerance test, and serum insulin dosage.
For people with family history, experts recommend checking every 1-3 years, even annually if accompanied by obesity or high blood pressure. Early detection allows adjusting diet, increasing exercise, weight control and significantly reducing the risk of cardiovascular, kidney, and neurological complications.
Proactively understanding genetic risks is the first step to protect long-term health.
