A top university in Hong Kong has said it aims to test 9,000 adults aged under 44 to identify their risk of diabetes and provide interventions to delay or prevent its onset.

Young-onset diabetes (YOD), which is diagnosed before the age of 40, could lead to higher risks of complications and even death, undermining patients’ quality of life, they said.

Citing study figures, the researchers said that one in every five diabetes patients in the city was diagnosed before the age of 40, while the prevalence of type 2 diabetes was rising among residents under 40.

“Young-onset diabetes is a silent killer globally,” said Professor Andrea Luk On-yan from the CUHK’s department of medicine and therapeutics.

According to Luk, the incidence of cardiovascular and chronic kidney diseases has been higher among people with young-onset diabetes than those diagnosed later in life.