Davao doctor urges early diabetes screening for at-risk children as young as 12

Children as young as 12 can develop type 2 diabetes, a diabetes specialist warned in Davao City, urging parents to have overweight, physically inactive children with a family history of the disease screened early, SunStar reported.

Dr. Gener Rubio Jr., an internal medicine-diabetology specialist at San Pedro Hospital, spoke at a Department of Health (DOH) media engagement on Friday, Oct. 30, at the DOH-Davao Center for Health Development, ahead of World Diabetes Day on Nov. 14. The World Health Organization (WHO) theme this year is "Early action on diabetes."

Rubio said diabetes among young patients used to be mostly type 1, but lifestyle and strong family history now put children at risk of type 2. He cautioned parents against assuming a chubby child is a healthy one. While guidelines recommend blood sugar tests from age 40 and yearly after that, he said those with risk factors need not wait. "If you are 12 years old, 14 years old, but you're overweight, you have a strong family history of diabetes, and a sedentary lifestyle, you may already get your blood extraction anytime," he said.

He listed warning signs including unexplained weight loss, frequent thirst and urination, blurred vision, and foot wounds that do not heal, and cited a recommendation of at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, ideally five times a week. He also said he expects sugar levels to rise during the holidays and reminded patients to keep taking their medicines and stay active.

Rubio said about 4.7 million Filipinos live with diabetes, consistent with International Diabetes Federation figures showing a 7.5 percent prevalence among adults in 2024, a number projected to reach 8.6 million by 2050. Provisional 2025 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority rank diabetes as the country's fifth leading cause of death, with more than 31,000 deaths. He added that while global prevalence is around 7 to 9 percent, screenings outside cities sometimes find rates of about 20 percent.

Dr. Grace Amistoso, DOH Davao officer-in-charge assistant regional director, said DOH nurses and midwives in barangays screen residents for diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol and refer those with high sugar levels for further care. She said rising cases could not be clearly linked to poverty, pointing instead to diet and sedentary habits. She added that needed tests are covered for those enrolled in the Yakap program, under which health facilities are working to become medicine providers.

In Davao City, the City Health Office offers free consultations, blood sugar tests, nutrition counseling, foot and wound care, and free medicines after diagnosis, with a Diabetes and Heart Day every Friday at barangay and health centers, according to a November 2025 city government report.