Medical experts called for more effective methods for diabetes prevention on Monday, the fifth World Diabetes Day, as more children and teenagers in China are suffering from the disease.

Diabetes has become one of the most commonly seen chronic diseases in children and teenagers, said Kuang Hongyu, a doctor at the No. 1 Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University.

About 10 percent of all diabetes patients the hospital receives are people under 20 years of age, according to Yang Aige, a doctor at the No. 1 Hospital of Hebei Medical University. He said the hospital's youngest diabetes patient is only four years old.

Genetics, inadequate exercise and poor diets are the main reasons behind the rising number of childhood diabetes patients, Yang said.

Hospitals across China have been offering free diabetes tests as part of a national diabetes awareness campaign.

(Xinhua News Agency November 14, 2011)