Unhealthy lifestyles causing young Koreans to grow older faster

Social Affairs

Published: 22 Oct. 2023, 17:50 Updated: 22 Oct. 2023, 18:34

Unhealthy lifestyles causing young Koreans to grow older faster

Health experts say an accumulated lack of exercise and unhealthy dietary habits are causing chronic metabolism-related diseases in young people. [SHUTTERSTOCK]

Korea has one of the world's fastest-aging populations.

To make matters worse, younger people may be aging faster, too, new data shows.

According to a report provided to JoongAng Ilbo by the National Health Insurance Service on Oct. 16, people in their 20s and 30s showed a sharper increase in chronic metabolic disease rates than people in their 50s and 60s.

Geriatric diseases related to a person’s metabolism, most notably diabetes, high blood pressure, gout and arthritis, now appear decades earlier in the so-called MZ Generation.

The MZ Generation refers to millennials born between 1980 and 1995 and Generation Z born between 1996 and 2010.

There was a 73.8 percent increase in the number of diabetes cases in their 20s to 30s compared to a decade ago, rising from 75,868 to 131,846 between 2012 and 2022.

When it comes to high blood pressure, there was a 45.2 percent increase, rising from 99,474 to 214,243 between 2012 and 2022.

Young patients suffering from hyperlipidemia more than doubled in the same period.

At the same time, those diseases showed a much more gradual increase in people in their 50s and 60s.

Health experts say that the MZ generation is at risk of “accelerating aging,” where their biological ages are older than one’s actual age.

Many attributed the causes to the lack of a work-and-life balance and the younger generations' drastically different dietary patterns and lifestyle choices.

Diabetes and high blood pressure rates

After having a long day with no sufficient breaks but endless work and study, a 35-year-old researcher — identified by his family name of Kang — turns to fast food spots or convenience stores for a quick meal. Then, the researcher returns to his busy life, earning praise from those around him for his diligence.

His medical checkups have much less kinder things to say about his lifestyle.

Kang was diagnosed with hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease and lifestyle-induced arteriosclerosis. Now, Kang takes Statins, a hyperlipidemia medication.

“I never thought these diseases could happen in my 30s,” Kang said.

Health experts point to generational differences in food, dietary patterns and lifestyles.

“Younger people are physically inactive, with little exercise since school. After college and finding a job, they have little time for workouts or quality sleep. Once this cycle sets in, people resort to food as a sort of reward,” said Shim Kyung-won, a professor at the Department of Family Medicine from Ewha Women's University Medical Center Seoul.

Tanghulu, a traditional Chinese dessert created by skewering assorted fruits coated with a layer of sugary syrup, are on display at a store in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Oct. 10. [JOONGANG PHOTO]

Young Koreans’ consumption of meat and refined carbs such as bread and sugar has risen. With just a few taps on a mobile screen, they can access these foods through delivery services — whenever and wherever they want.

“Blood sugar levels rise and fall quickly when a person consumes processed food, simple sugars and refined grains, and in the process, stress hormones emerge and facilitate the growth of fat cells and cancer cells,” said Jung Hee-won, a professor at the Division of Geriatric Medicine at Asan Medical Center.

A growing number of young patients are seeing orthopedists nowadays.

Adhesive capsulitis, also known as frozen shoulder, used to present itself in people older than 50. The disease was even called osipgyeon, meaning "the shoulder has turned 50."

Now, doctors call it isipgyeon, meaning "the shoulder has turned 20."

According to the National Health Insurance Service, young and middle-aged people are diagnosed with degenerative arthritis at similar rates.

An officer worker — identified by his family name of Wi — regularly visits the orthopedist every three or four months because of wrist and knee pain.

Although the doctor suggested that Wi protect his joints, Wi must sit 12 hours daily and perform tasks during the audit period.

“There isn’t any appropriate means or way to protect my joints, even though I want to,” Wi said.

Many more young sufferers may not even be registered as patients.

Young chronic patients may not be aware of their disease or overconfident about their overall health, believing young people are indestructible.

This mindset prevents young people from seeking treatment.

According to the “2022 Hypertension Factsheet” published by the Korean Society of Hypertension, the high blood pressure awareness rate among people in their 20s and 30s was only 19 percent, far lower than the total rate of 69.5 percent.

Experts say that the increased availability of medical checkups might have led to more diagnoses, yet it does not fully explain the recent numbers.

“Although checkups could detect diabetes and blood pressure issues, many young patients come to see doctors after feeling unwell,” Shim said.

“Patients in their 20s and 30s rose perceptibly.”

Chronic metabolic diseases can later develop into serious health problems like cerebrovascular diseases and cancer.

“Having hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and high blood pressure for more than a decade can gradually trigger arteriosclerosis, which hardens arteries and hinders the free flow of blood inside the body. The early stage of arteriosclerosis does not usually cause trouble immediately. However, if it grows too far advanced, it can burst one’s blood vessels,” said Kang Jae-heon, a Department of Family Medicine professor at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital.

The Financial Times recently ran an article headlined, “The unexplained rise of cancer among millennials.”

The report said that over the past three decades, cancer rates in the Group of 20 nations have increased faster for 25- to 29-year-olds than any other age group. The article cited an expert’s opinion that childhood obesity caused by changes in dietary habits triggered the rise in cancer.

Doctors say the younger the patient is, the more chances they have for treatment.

“Drinking less and eating fewer snacks can solve many health problems,” Shim said.

“If we let the ‘accelerating aging’ problem continue without taking measures, young people in their 20s and 30s could become unhealthier than their parents, the baby boomers,” Jung said.

BY KIM NA-HAN, NAM SOO-HYOUN, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]