{"id":2942,"date":"2026-08-02T07:33:37","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T06:33:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/?p=2942"},"modified":"2026-08-02T07:33:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T06:33:38","slug":"the-hidden-dangers-of-diabetes-a-growing-health-concern","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/?p=2942","title":{"rendered":"The Hidden Dangers Of Diabetes: A Growing Health Concern"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Favour Palmer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health experts at Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, warned that the increasing number of diabetes cases among young Nigerians is becoming a major public health concern during an interview on Monday, 22nd June 2026, in Delta State University Health center. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The experts urged students to adopt healthier lifestyles to prevent the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diabetes has become one of the most common health challenges affecting millions of people worldwide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While many individuals are aware that diabetes is associated with high blood sugar levels, few understand the serious and often hidden dangers that accompany the disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health experts warn that if left unmanaged, diabetes can lead to life-threatening complications that affect nearly every part of the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent reports from health organizations indicate a steady rise in the number of diabetes cases in Nigeria. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medical professionals attribute this increase to unhealthy lifestyles, poor dietary habits, lack of physical activity, and limited awareness about the disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite these alarming statistics, many people continue to underestimate the dangers of diabetes until complications arise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to health experts, one of the hidden dangers of diabetes is its ability to damage vital organs silently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

High blood sugar levels can gradually weaken blood vessels and nerves without showing obvious symptoms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, many patients discover complications only when significant damage has already occurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking on the issue, Dr. Mrs. Benado, a Health expert at the Delta State University Abraka, explained that diabetes is has very dangerous effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Some people thinks diabetes is all about high consumption of sugar but that is not true some people can generate diabetes through genetic or developmental disorder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Some of the dangers of diabetes are Diabetic Retinopathy leading to Blindness, Diabetic Foot Ulcer leading to Amputation of leg and many more.” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most common complications is vision impairment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diabetes can damage the tiny blood vessels in the eyes, leading to diabetic retinopathy, a condition that may eventually cause blindness if untreated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experts emphasize the importance of regular eye examinations for diabetic patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The disease also poses serious risks to the kidneys. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medical studies show that diabetes is one of the leading causes of kidney failure worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

High blood sugar levels place excessive strain on the kidneys, reducing their ability to filter waste from the body effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heart disease is another hidden threat linked to diabetes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People living with diabetes are significantly more likely to suffer from heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to healthcare professionals, controlling blood sugar levels can greatly reduce these risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many patients, nerve damage remains one of the most painful consequences of diabetes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This condition, known as diabetic neuropathy, can cause numbness, tingling sensations, and severe pain, particularly in the hands and feet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In extreme cases, untreated wounds may lead to infections and amputations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 100 level Computer science student Obiebi Dickson said he has very little knowledge about diabetes and that he thinks diabetes only affect people with high sugar level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A major challenge in Nigeria is that many people remain unaware of their diabetic status. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms such as excessive thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, and unexplained weight loss are often ignored. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, many patients seek medical attention only after serious complications have developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing concern among health professionals is the low level of awareness about diabetes among young people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many youths mistakenly believe that diabetes is a disease that affects only older adults, causing them to ignore warning signs and delay seeking medical attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public health advocates are also calling for increased awareness campaigns to educate citizens about the dangers of diabetes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They argue that many deaths and complications associated with the disease can be prevented through proper education and timely medical intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concerning this issue, Dr. Mrs. Benado explains that \u201cmany young people are unaware of the causes and dangers of diabetes and I recommend that school and the society should create awareness campaign like sending health practitioners to schools or by distributing flyers across the society\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also add to say that “some of the causes of diabetes in young people are the poor and unhealthy lifestyle, lack of exercise, uncontrolled eating and drinking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“And also some young adults does not know how to serve their meal and this results to uncontrolled eating and leads to excess consumption of carbohydrate, and all these are the major ways of developing diabetes.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although diabetes is often associated with older adults, cases among young people are increasing due to poor dietary habits, obesity, and sedentary lifestyles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health experts warn that early-onset diabetes can expose individuals to complications at a younger age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many young people associate diabetes solely with excessive sugar consumption and fail to understand that factors such as genetics, obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity, and stress can also increase the risk of developing the condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this a very serious misconception about the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joseph Benita, a pre-degree student from the department of Pharmacy explains that she’s is not aware that diabetes is not just about high sugar level, she also added that she’s been living with the understanding that diabetes only affects those with high blood sugar level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the number of diabetes cases continues to rise, experts urge Nigerians to take preventive measures seriously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding the hidden dangers of diabetes is not only important for those living with the condition but also for the wider public. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through awareness, early diagnosis, and healthy lifestyle choices, the devastating impact of diabetes can be reduced, helping individuals live longer and healthier lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Favour Palmer Health experts at Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, warned that the increasing number of diabetes cases among young Nigerians is becoming a major public health concern during an interview on Monday, 22nd June 2026, in Delta State University Health center. The experts urged students to adopt healthier lifestyles to prevent the disease. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2943,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"iawp_total_views":13,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,14],"tags":[33,28],"class_list":["post-2942","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthcorner","category-trendingnews","tag-health","tag-wellness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2942","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2942"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2942\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2944,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2942\/revisions\/2944"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2942"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2942"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2942"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}