This information was revealed by experts at a recent conference in Ho Chi Minh City. According to the experts, Vietnam has approximately 7 million people with diabetes, but half are unaware of their condition, missing opportunities for timely treatment.

The incidence rate among people aged 20–79 has tripled since 2000. The disease is rapidly increasing among young people under 40 and even children. Over 55% of Vietnamese people with diabetes experience complications, including 34% with cardiovascular issues, 39% with eye and nerve problems, and 24% with kidney problems, increasing healthcare costs and reducing quality of life.

"The most frightening thing is not the rapid global increase in diabetes, but the dangerous complications of this disease," said Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Bich Dao, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Diabetes and Endocrinology Association.

Diabetes is a chronic condition characterized by elevated blood glucose levels and cannot be completely cured. Symptoms include thirst, hunger, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, itching or numbness in the extremities, susceptibility to infections, slow wound healing, blurred vision, and darkened skin.

Many individuals are unaware they have the disease due to its silent progression. However, the consequences are extremely dangerous, impacting the heart, kidneys, and limbs, and causing severe complications such as stroke, kidney failure, vision impairment, blindness, and foot complications.

The average time from diagnosis to the onset of complications is approximately 3–5.2 years, with chronic kidney complications often appearing earliest. Many patients are hospitalized in critical conditions like diabetic coma due to extremely high blood sugar or require limb amputation due to severe complications, simply because they were unaware of their condition for 10–20 years.

Experts attribute the rising rates to the consumption of fast food and milk tea, combined with a sedentary lifestyle and environmental pollution, which contribute to fat accumulation and obesity among young people. Some young people regularly use stimulants like alcohol and tobacco, have irregular eating habits, and skip meals due to excessive gaming or television viewing, leading to insulin resistance and metabolic disorders.

In the early stages of obesity, hormone resistance increases, reducing the effectiveness of endocrine hormones. To compensate, the pancreas must work continuously, eventually impairing its hormone secretion function and making it unable to maintain blood sugar metabolism, causing type 2 diabetes in young people.

Many individuals with diabetes are unaware of their condition because the initial symptoms are often mild or unclear, easily overlooked or mistaken for common health issues. In the early stages of type 2 diabetes, blood sugar rises gradually, and the body can temporarily adapt, causing the disease to progress silently for years without warning signs. By the time symptoms like thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, or fatigue become apparent, the disease has often progressed and may have even begun to cause complications.

Lack of knowledge and awareness about the importance of regular screening is also a major factor. Many Vietnamese people do not have the habit of regular health checkups or blood sugar tests, especially when they are young or feel healthy. This complacency, along with a lack of awareness of risk factors (such as obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, and family history), allows the disease to develop unchecked.

40% of people with diabetes are undiagnosed. Illustration photo: Quynh Tran

For prevention, experts recommend regular blood sugar testing, especially for high-risk groups such as people over 45, those with a family history of diabetes (parents or siblings), those who are overweight or obese, have a sedentary lifestyle, have high blood pressure, have lipid disorders, or have insulin resistance.

"Early detection, even in the prediabetes stage, and timely intervention can reverse blood sugar disorders and prevent the progression of diabetes in the future," said Associate Professor Dao. Once diagnosed, good blood sugar management is essential to prevent complications, improve the patient's quality of life, extend lifespan, and reduce mortality.

Maintaining a healthy diet, regular exercise, limiting sugary drinks, carbonated beverages, and fast food are also recommended.

My Y