With the country’s diabetes cases among the highest globally, experts warn that changing routines are leading to increased incidence among younger populations, prompting innovative management approaches by clinics like mGanik.
Indonesia’s diabetes burden is among the largest in the world, with the International Diabetes Federation estimating that about 20.4 million adults in the country are living with the condition, placing it fifth globally. Against that backdrop, diabetologist Kelvin Candiago has warned that the disease is increasingly affecting people at younger ages, including those in their twenties, as changing routines and lifestyle pressures continue to shape risk.
Candiago, who founded mGanik, said many younger patients believe they are already living healthily because they exercise regularly or cut back on sugary drinks. But he said that picture can be misleading if diet, sleep, movement and meal timing are inconsistent. A person may go to the gym or play sports, he said, yet still eat poorly, stay up late, move too little and eat at irregular hours.
He argued that habits like these can, over time, contribute to insulin resistance, a condition in which the body becomes less responsive to insulin and blood sugar becomes harder to control. That is one reason type 2 diabetes, which is closely linked to lifestyle, often requires long-term management rather than a short-term fix. Candiago’s remarks reflect a broader public health concern in Indonesia, where the scale of the problem has pushed both clinicians and private providers to emphasise earlier intervention and more structured support.
The issue has also become the focus of mGanik’s wider business expansion. Local reports say the company has opened a diabetes clinic in Gading Serpong to provide more integrated help for type 2 patients, while its care model has been recognised with the Top Innovation Choice Award 2026 for combining medication, nutrition and monitoring. The company says that approach is designed to help patients keep up the sustained routine changes that diabetes management so often demands.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
