TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Health Promotion Administration said Tuesday that 39.7% of women aged 45 and over in Taiwan have elevated blood sugar levels, CNA reported.

Blood sugar is the level of glucose in the blood. A common assessment method is the fasting blood glucose test, conducted after at least eight hours without food. Normal levels range from 60 to 99 milligrams per deciliter, while a reading above 126 mg/dL confirmed by a second test on a different day may indicate diabetes.

The administration said that among Taiwanese women aged 45 to 64, approximately 26% have high blood pressure and about 21% have high cholesterol. The agency noted that these rates are approximately four times and three times higher, respectively, compared to women aged 19 to 44. The prevalence of elevated blood sugar in the older age group is also about three times higher than in the younger demographic.

Health Promotion Administration Director Wu Chao-chun (吳昭軍) said that as women age and experience hormonal changes during menopause, they may face physical and emotional shifts. He urged women in this age group to make a habit of regularly monitoring their blood sugar levels.

The administration advised that maintaining a positive mood and engaging in at least 30 minutes of daily exercise can promote cardiovascular health. It also recommended a balanced diet low in oil, salt, and sugar, and high in fiber, to help stabilize blood sugar levels.

Diabetes ranks among the top ten causes of death in Taiwan, the administration said. There are around 2.5 million diabetes patients nationwide, with about 25,000 new cases diagnosed annually. Half are aged 65 and older among these patients.

Chung Shan Medical University Director Huang Chien-ning (黃建寧) added that the number of diabetes patients under 40 in Taiwan is on the rise. He predicts that by 2045, the number of individuals under 19 with diabetes will increase tenfold, while those between 20 and 30 will see an almost fourfold rise.