Experts on Wednesday urged stronger government action to curb sugar intake among Taiwanese, as the rate of diabetes among those younger than 40 rose by 25 percent from 2016 to 2020, with poor diet cited as a major contributing factor.
Taiwan has more than 2.56 million diabetes patients, and is facing the twin challenges of an aging population and a growing number of early-onset diabetes cases, the Taiwanese Association of Diabetes Educators (TADE) said in an annual report.
More than 20 percent of those with diabetes are diagnosed before they turn 50, while cases among those younger than 40 have increased by about 25 percent, National Center for Geriatrics and Welfare Research chief executive officer Hsu Chih-cheng (許志成) said.
Photo: Wu Liang-yi, Taipei Times
Diabetes is no longer limited to middle-aged and older adults, Hsu said.
Younger people face a longer duration with the disease and earlier onset of related complications such as retinopathy, kidney disease and cardiovascular conditions — posing long-term burdens on them and the healthcare system, he said.
Unhealthy lifestyles — including high-sugar diets and lack of exercise — are driving the rise among young people, he added.
More than 30 percent of adults drink sugary beverages daily, with an even higher proportion among teenagers, a national health survey showed.
Sugar reduction has become a global public health priority, nutritionist and TADE supervisor Ouyang Chung-mei (歐陽鍾美) said.
Ouyang cited local studies showing that about 70 percent of bottled drinks sold in Taiwan are “high-sugar” products, with 41.6 percent exceeding the WHO’s recommended limit of 25g of sugar per serving.
Nearly all full-sugar bubble teas (98 percent) greatly exceed that limit, and even “low-sugar” or 30 percent sweetened versions did so in 28 percent of samples, she said.
Ouyang urged the government to learn from the experience of the UK, South Africa and Singapore by introducing mandatory nutrition warning labels, expanding health education in schools and communities, and raising the sugar tax.
She also said the food industry should support sugar reduction policies by reformulating products, while helping to build a healthier food environment that prevents diabetes and other chronic diseases.
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