Maria Katrina Paras

Why Type 2 Diabetes is Hitting Filipinos Earlier—And What We Can Do About It

Article (news)

<p>In a country where “rice is life,” and unli-food promos get so much hype, type 2 diabetes is creeping in younger and faster than ever before. Once seen as a disease of aging, diabetes is now showing up in people in their 20s and 30s—and in some alarming cases, even earlier.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:600px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1750829407653Screenshot 2025-06-25 at 11.13.30 AM.png" style="width:600px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Once seen as a disease of aging, diabetes is now showing up in people in their 20s and 30s.</span></span></span><strong>Type 2 diabetes is a long-term condition in which blood sugar levels become elevated due to the body&#x27;s inability to respond properly to insulin or produce enough of it. </strong>It’s the most common form of diabetes and is closely tied to insulin resistance—a state where the body’s cells stop responding effectively to insulin. While it used to be called “adult-onset” diabetes, its increasing appearance in children and young adults has mirrored the rise in <strong>obesity, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity.</strong></div><p>&quot;What we&#x27;re seeing is not just a lifestyle issue. It&#x27;s a multi-layered health crisis,&quot; says <strong>Dr. Rolando Balburias, a board-certified internist, diplomate, and fellow of the Philippine College of Physicians</strong>, and one of <strong>only five certified functional medicine practitioners in the country. </strong>As the pioneer of <strong>functional medicine in the Philippines</strong>, Dr. Balburias takes a <strong>r</strong><strong>oot-cause approach to health</strong>, focusing on how everything—from <strong>diet to sleep to toxic exposure—can tip the body into dysfunctio</strong><strong>n</strong>.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:600px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1750829617173Doc.png" style="width:600px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded"/><span class="fr-inner">Doctor Rolando Balburias weighs in on the hard-to-swallow truths about type 2 diabetes.</span></span></span><strong></strong></div><div><strong>The Bad Five</strong></div><p>According to Dr. Balburias, the surge in type 2 diabetes among young Filipinos is driven by five key contributors:</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>1. Imbalanced and inadequate nutrition</strong></div><p>&quot;One major contributor is overconsumption of simple, refined, highly processed sugars,&quot; he explains. &quot;We are surrounded by man-made foods that spike insulin and damage metabolic health.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:600px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1750829692451Screenshot 2025-06-25 at 11.18.18 AM.png" style="width:600px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded"/><span class="fr-inner">It’s no secret that sugary, ultra-processed foods highly contribute to the risk of diabetes.</span></span></span></div><div><strong>2. Increasing obesity, especially in children</strong></div><p>“Childhood obesity is rising in all age groups—0 to 5, school-age, and adolescents, most especially among males. These children will become adults in a few years, which then feeds the rising data of diabetes among adults.&quot;</p><p>He adds, &quot;In a few years, or by 2030, it’s projected that there will be around 34 million adult diabetics.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>3. Sleep deprivation and disruption</strong></div><p>&quot;Sleep deprivation disrupts hormonal balance, promotes insulin resistance, and can lead to unhealthy eating and reduced physical activity—all of which contribute to diabetes risk,&quot; he says. &quot;In the Philippines, 56% of adults sleep less than the recommended 7–8 hours, making us among the most sleep-deprived in Southeast Asia.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:600px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1750829778551Screenshot 2025-06-25 at 11.18.27 AM.png" style="width:600px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded"/><span class="fr-inner">Blue light consumption before going to bed disrupts our circadian rhythm and ultimately,the  quality of sleep.</span></span></span>&quot;Factors like night shift work—we are the call center capital—and social media use are major contributors. We spend more than 4 hours on our phones and check them more than 50 times a day. Many use their devices at night, which affects sleep quality.&quot;</div><div><br/></div><div><strong>4. Chronic stress</strong></div><p>&quot;About 87% of Filipinos suffer from work-related stress, which is 11% higher than the global average,&quot; says Dr. Balburias. &quot;Chronic stress significantly impacts diabetes development and management through physiological and behavioral pathways.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Cortisol excess initially helps buffer stress, but if it’s persistently elevated in the blood, it will result in insulin resistance and alter the balance of other hormones—especially testosterone, thyroid hormone, estrogen, and progesterone.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>5. Chronic toxicity</strong></div><p>&quot;Exposure to chemicals that disrupt our hormone balance is another contributor,&quot; he warns. &quot;This includes using or consuming products or packaging that contain BPA, phthalates from plastic, and heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium. These chemicals act as obesogens—chemicals linked to obesity—and they get stored in our bodies, particularly in organs like the liver and pancreas.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Heavy metal exposure among Filipinos primarily comes from environmental pollution linked to urbanization, mining, agriculture, and industrial activities. In urban areas, an added source comes from contaminated urban farming produce. Vegetables grown in urban farms may accumulate arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead, posing ingestion risks.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Where We Are Now</strong></div><p>&quot;The highest diabetes prevalence is observed in the 60–69 age group, but increasing urbanization and lifestyle changes are driving earlier onset in younger adults,&quot; says Dr. Balburias.</p><p>He cites that the overall diabetes prevalence among adults aged 20 to 79 years is about 7.1% to 7.5%, with approximately 4.7 million adults living with diabetes as of last year. &quot;Younger adults are also affected: about 20% of Filipinos with diabetes are aged 20 to 44 years, indicating rising diabetes rates in younger populations.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>The F Word</strong></div><p>&quot;Food is not the only reason why we develop diabetes,&quot; says Dr. Balburias. &quot;Addressing it with a microscopic perspective about the root causes of diabetes will not be enough.&quot;</p><p>He adds, &quot;We overcomplicate the role of nutrition. Eating whole, real, unprocessed foods with a balanced intake of the three macronutrients—fats, carbohydrates, and protein—and consumption of nutrient-rich foods with significant amounts of required vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that support efficient glucose metabolism will reduce the risk.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D, and minerals such as manganese and magnesium, are essential to glucose regulation. Insulin resistance is the premorbid condition that develops decades before a formal diagnosis of diabetes is made.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Small Changes, Big Difference</strong></div><p>When asked about practical lifestyle strategies for diabetes prevention, Dr. Balburias encourages aiming for balance and moderation across the board.</p><p>&quot;In everything about our lifestyle and nutrition, let us aim for balance and moderation,&quot; he says. &quot;Movement and exercise balance it by providing adequate energy and fuel required for its execution—fuel and energy from a balanced, adequate, and optimal nutrition.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:600px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1750829948391Screenshot 2025-06-25 at 11.19.18 AM.png" style="width:600px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded"/><span class="fr-inner">Exercise is essential in pursuing a healthy life.</span></span></span>He adds, &quot;A nutrition professional can actually help you determine this balance. An ND (nutritionist dietitian) can determine your body’s unique requirements depending on your fitness regimen and fitness goals. Be a healthy, fit person—not just fit.&quot;</div><p>Dr. Balburias also highlights the need to manage chronic stress with quality rest. &quot;Chronic stress—balance it with sleep and relaxation. Our body functions in a circadian rhythm: daytime is for movement and action; nighttime is for relaxation, restoration, and repair.&quot;</p><p>As for environmental toxins, he advises counteracting their effects with supportive practices. &quot;Toxic environment and toxin exposures to harmful substances—balance it with proper and optimal nutrition, hydration, and detoxification activities that lead to sweating, like exercise, exposure to thermal stress, or activities that enhance antioxidant supply, such as grounding and forest bathing.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/metro-style/wellness/2025/6/23/ultrahuman-ring-review-1731" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">READ: This Smart Ring Helps You Get Better Sleep</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>The Quick Wins</strong></div><p>For Filipino families looking to make sustainable changes, Dr. Balburias shares his top recommendations:</p><p>1. &quot;Eat whole, real foods—foods created by God, not man-made foods. Foods from the ocean, trees, and from the soil.&quot;</p><p>2. &quot;We are created to move, breathe properly, to rest.&quot;</p><p>3. &quot;Our ancient body design is struggling to survive in this modern world, fast-paced lifestyle, and modern ‘foods’ we are creating. Go back to the basics.&quot;</p><p>He also emphasizes a deeper spiritual and environmental perspective:<strong> &quot;As a Christian doctor, I always teach my patients that we have an amazing Creator who created and designed our biological and ecological systems. Both systems are hardwired together; there is no true healthcare without Earth care.&quot;</strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>The Bigger Picture</strong></div><p>This isn’t just about one disease. It’s about how a disconnected lifestyle is catching up to us. It’s also about rewriting the script for the next generation, where a future of preventable illness no longer feels inevitable.</p><p>And maybe it starts with one less soda, one more hour of sleep, a little more green on the plate, and a little less noise.</p><p>Because if diabetes is coming for our youth, then the most radical thing we can do is go back to the basics—and defend them with everything we&#x27;ve got.</p>

<p>The alarming rise of diabetes among young Filipinos, according to a leading functional medicine doctor</p>

The alarming rise of diabetes among young Filipinos, according to a leading functional medicine doctor

Diabetes Explained: Why Type 2 Diabetes is Hitting Filipinos Earlier—And What We Can Do About It

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Diabetes Explained: Why Type 2 Diabetes is Hitting Filipinos Earlier—And What We Can Do About It

Danah Gutierrez

Published June 25, 2025 01:30 PM PHT

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Updated June 27, 2025 10:07 PM PHT

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Dr. Rolando Balburias

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