Today is World Diabetes Day and China is facing a “diabetes dilemma”. Can it raise living standards without increasing the diabetes rate? A problem most rich countries have not been able to avoid. 

China hopes to bring attention to the dangers of the disease, and teach what steps are necessary to prevent it. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 642 million people around the world are expected to be diagnosed with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes by 2040. The organization went on to state that China could experience an “explosive” rise in its diabetes rates if current trends continue. Those who face the highest risk are also the country’s most vulnerable: the youth. As China’s economy continues to improve and people get richer, Chinese children may be at a higher risk of developing diabetes, due to a high calorific diet and a sedentary lifestyle. 

The Chinese government is hoping to get in front of the problem before it starts, pushing for early screenings of the disease, and informing the public of the risk factors, all with the aim of helping people manage the disease and avoid its potentially fatal consequences.