7 (Surprising) Habits that Increases Diabetes Risk Among Asians

7 Surprising habits increasing risk of diabetes among Asians

Sarah Khan

24 Oct 2017

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7 Surprising Habits that Increases Diabetes Risk
Could you be guilty of any of these habits? Browse them in the gallery!
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Burning the Midnight Oil
According to a recent study in Korea, people who stay up until the wee hours of the morning are more likely to develop diabetes than those who turn in earlier - even if they clock in 7 to 8 hours of sleep. When you tend to sleep late, your sleep quality is affected - as such, this disrupts your metabolism and increases your risk of diabetes. Night owls also tend to be exposed to higher levels of artificial light from their devices like laptops and smartphones. Besides affecting your circadian rhythm, these light has been linked to lower insulin sensitivity and poor blood sugar regulation, according to the same study by research author Nan Hee Kim, M.D., Ph. D.
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Skipping Your Probiotics
You know that bottle of Yakult you're always giving a miss? You may want to rethink that. Skipping out on foods high in probiotics (good bacteria that lives in your gut) means that your gut has more bad bacteria than the good. Studies suggest that these bad bacteria can actually damage the lining of your intestines and inflame them, which can lead to diabetes.
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Insufficient sun exposure
This one is for us city folks in Asia - while it is important to protect yourself from the sun's harmful rays, not allowing yourself exposure to sunlight at all may cause your diabetes risk to spike. According to a new study in Spain, those with vitamin D deficiency (present in sunlight) are more likely to have type 2 diabetes irrespective of their weight. Researches believe that the vitamin is key in the regular functioning of your pancreas, the organ responsible for producing your insulin and regulating your blood sugar.
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Netflix binge sessions
No - we're not referring to your one-hour of Game of Thrones on Monday nights. We're talking about being glued to your screen all night. A recent study from the University of Pittsburgh reveals that every hour spent bingeing your favourite programmes in front of the TV increases your risk of diabetes by nearly 4 percent - even if you hit the gym.

According to Eric Sternlicht, Ph. D., an associate professor at Chapman University, excessive sitting "leads to the storage of visceral fat, which increases (your) waist circumference". Carrying extra weight around your waist in turn puts you at greater risk of developing diabetes, a 2013 University of Washington study discovered.
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High levels of stress
It turns out that bottling in your stress and anxiety can actually make you really sick. High stress levels can affect your ability to sleep, lowers your immunity and increases your risk of diabetes. A recent German study surfaces that high levels of work stress in particular can increase their risk of diabetes by up to 45%.

Scientists are still unclear on the reason, but it could be due to the fact that stress releases inflammatory hormones like cortisol, which may affect your body's ability to keep your blood sugar levels in check.
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Skipping breakfast
Skipping breakfast not only makes you incredibly hungry later in the morning, it also posits you at a greater risk for type 2 diabetes. Depriving your body of food during key mealtimes can disrupt your insulin levels, making it harder for your body to control its blood sugar.
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Microwaving your food
If you're one to reheat your takeout meals in the microwave, you might want to reconsider that. Researchers at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City discovered that two chemicals used in producing plastic wraps and takeout containers were linked to an increased risk of diabetes among children and teenagers. These chemicals are said to increase your resistance to insulin, as well as increase your blood pressure.

7 Surprising Habits that Increases Diabetes Risk

Hint: you may want to skip those late night Netflix binge sessions.

It is no secret that Asia is on the brink of a diabetes epidemic, if you will.

The rapidly changing lifestyles, urban life and plethora of poor quality calories readily available in the form processed foods are putting more folks at risk of developing Type-2 diabetes. In fact, Singapore has the 2nd-highest proportion of diabetics among developed nations, according to a 2015 study by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), with 1 in every 9 Singaporean diagnosed with the disease.

As it turns out, diabetes does not discriminate between ages – whether you’re young or old, obese or lean. Despite eating right, getting the right amount of sleep and working out to maintain a healthy weight, you may still be at risk of diabetes. We’ve outlined 7 common habits that surprisingly put you at significantly greater risk of the disease – browse them in the gallery above and if you’re guilty of any of them, it’s high time you kick them to the curb.

Sarah Khan

Photos: Getty Images

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