Alarm sounded for 'crispy skin' youths

Health issues

Memory decline, mood swings and a weakened immune system have become the most common health issues confronting people born after 1985, according to a survey of over 1,330 people conducted by a research center affiliated with the China Youth Daily newspaper.

Yaya, a resident in Jiangsu province who uses a pseudonym to protect her privacy, said she often has allergies and develops fevers running for about a week from time to time.

"I get rashes on my neck and arms when I have to work overtime for three straight days or more," said the 29-year-old. "I think the condition is related to my lack of exercise. Toxic substances — both physical and mental — build up in my body, and the heavy workload can trigger these allergic symptoms to appear."

Liu Jinying, head of the nutrition department at the Shenzhen Center of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences' Cancer Hospital, said that the top three health issues are interlocked with each other.

"Sleeping late can cause poor sleep quality and affect memory and mood. Unbalanced diets can lead to metabolic disorders, decreased immunity and diminished memory in the long run," she said.

Official data has shown that more serious diseases requiring medical interventions have become more prevalent among young people.

Around 44 percent of people age 20 to 39 either have a heart condition or are at high risk. The rate among adults in their 20s has reached 15 percent, according to a white paper released by the National Alliance of Cardiovascular Disease in 2019.

"Cardiovascular illnesses among the young population are on the rise. We found through surveys that the average age of patients who experience heart attack or stroke for the first time is trending downward," said Hu Shengshou, director of the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases.

Diabetes and high blood pressure — warning signs of heart disease ahead — are creeping up on young people at the same time.

"Around 80 percent of visitors to our department are young and middle-aged adults, and only 20 percent are elderly," said Cheng Liwen, head of the high blood pressure center at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, during an interview with Health Times. "There were few young patients with high blood pressure a decade ago, but in recent years, such patients have become regular hospital visitors."

The National Health Commission said that the prevalence rate of high uric acid levels — a precursor of metabolic arthritis if left untreated — among Chinese adults stands at about 14 percent, and an increasing number of young people are getting the condition.

"It is a condition closely linked to longtime consumption of high-calorie foods, excessive alcohol and high-fructose drinks," the commission said.