China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Alarm sounded for ‘crispy skin’ youths
Self-deprecating generation braces for ‘premature’ health challenges as pressure of modern life takes toll
Common conditions associated with aging, from arthritis and high blood pressure to fatigue and osteopetrosis, are becoming more prevalent in people of younger ages in China due in part to unhealthy lifestyles, academic and work pressure in today’s fast-paced society, according to many experts.
Young people who experience signs of old age prematurely have taken to the internet to make light of their situation by calling themselves cuipi nianqingren, or “crispy skin youngsters”, digging at their frail bodies that seem to be teetering on the brink and easily collapse at the slightest tap.
The self-deprecating term first emerged in a news report in early October. Local media in central China’s Henan province reported that in September of last year alone, the emergency care department of Zhengzhou Central Hospital received more than 1,700 relatively young patients, an abnormally high number, according to the hospital.
“Most were age 18 to 25 and visited the hospital for trauma, abdominal pain, chest tightness, hyperventilation, acute alcohol poisoning and swelling of the gallbladder,” said Cheng Xiaodan, deputy director of the department.
“These conditions are usually caused by irregular circadian rhythms, staying up late and poor diets,” she said during an interview with local media.
Health experts said the prevalence of unhealthy habits is sickening young adults and potentially pushing the onset of some conventionally geriatric problems.
More efforts are needed to spread health awareness and motivate them to build self-discipline and adopt and stick to healthier ways of living, they said.
Health issues
Memory decline, mood swings and a weakened immune system have become the most common health issues confronting people born after 1985, according to a survey of over 1,330 people conducted by a research center affiliated with the China Youth Daily newspaper.
Yaya, a resident in Jiangsu province who uses a pseudonym to protect her privacy, said she often has allergies and develops fevers running for about a week from time to time.
“I get rashes on my neck and arms when I have to work overtime for three straight days or more,” said the 29-year-old. “I think the condition is related to my lack of exercise. Toxic substances — both physical and mental — build up in my body, and the heavy workload can trigger these allergic symptoms to appear.”
Liu Jinying, head of the nutrition department at the Shenzhen Center of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences’ Cancer Hospital, said that the top three health issues are interlocked with each other.
“Sleeping late can cause poor sleep quality and affect memory and mood. Unbalanced diets can lead to metabolic disorders, decreased immunity and diminished memory in the long run,” she said.
Official data has shown that more serious diseases requiring medical interventions have become more prevalent among young people.
Around 44 percent of people age 20 to 39 either have a heart condition or are at high risk. The rate among adults in their 20s has reached 15 percent, according to a white paper released by the National Alliance of Cardiovascular Disease in 2019.
“Cardiovascular illnesses among the young population are on the rise. We found through surveys that the average age of patients who experience heart attack or stroke for the first time is trending downward,” said Hu Shengshou, director of the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases.
Diabetes and high blood pressure — warning signs of heart disease ahead — are creeping up on young people at the same time.
“Around 80 percent of visitors to our department are young and middle-aged adults, and only 20 percent are elderly,” said Cheng Liwen, head of the high blood pressure center at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, during an interview with Health Times. “There were few young patients with high blood pressure a decade ago, but in recent years, such patients have become regular hospital visitors.”
The National Health Commission said that the prevalence rate of high uric acid levels — a precursor of metabolic arthritis if left untreated — among Chinese adults stands at about 14 percent, and an increasing number of young people are getting the condition.
“It is a condition closely linked to longtime consumption of high-calorie foods, excessive alcohol and highfructose drinks,” the commission said.
Online diagnosis
A number of widely circulated social media posts have recorded some extreme cases, such as an individual being diagnosed with respiratory alkalosis for playing video games too excitedly, or suffering a knee injury after squatting.
Ling Chumian, an anesthetist at Wuhan Union Hospital of China, shared several examples of these so-called crispy skin youngsters on his personal social media account.
“An 18-year-old college student hit her big toe on the corner of a wall while rehearsing for a dance performance and was later diagnosed with bone fracture,” he said. “A young man with extreme myopia suddenly found his vision blurry and dark while using his mobile phone in bed. He was diagnosed with retinal detachment.”
While not exclusively symptomatic of being a “crispy skin youngster”, these types of injuries are more associated with intensive or combative sports, the doctor said, but instead they came from a lack of exercise during high school years and oversight over safety when working out.
Seeking treatment
However, the alarming rise of health conditions being discovered in youngsters could also be attributed to the fact that more people have better and more convenient access to healthcare, and that young people are paying more attention to their health and seeking treatment.
“Over the past four decades, the rapid urbanization and economic and social development have brought about a lifestyle shift,” said Hu.
He said that while the eating of fruit, vegetables and dairy products has increased significantly, Chinese people are consuming fewer whole grains and nuts or beans, and more fats and oil.
“The World Health Organization recommends 2.5 to 3 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week, but Chinese people do not work out sufficiently overall,” he said. “At workplaces, people move around much less and spend long hours seated.
“Many young people have to cope with mental stress and sleep deficiency,” he added.
Hu suggested young people adopt a healthy diet, exercise regularly and ensure sufficient sleep. It is also important to engage in group activities and go through regular and standard health examinations.
“Calling themselves ‘crispy skin youngsters’ also reflects a tendency among the youth to tease their weak body constitution,” said an article published by researchers from the School of Chinese Language and Literature at Harbin Normal University.
“They are using humor as a means to make fun of and make light of pressure and grievances in their real lives,” it said.