The endocrine system, composed of hormone-producing glands, regulates vital body functions. Hormones categorized as steroid, protein, or amino-based—affect growth, metabolism, and reproduction. Disorders in hormone production or gland function can lead to endocrine diseases.
Over the last 50 years, the incidence of endocrine diseases has risen significantly.
One of the most notable increases is in type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition marked by insufficient insulin production or ineffective insulin use. The World Health Organization reports a 400% rise in cases, with more children being diagnosed. Contributing factors include obesity, poor diet, inactivity, endocrine disruptors, and an aging population.
Obesity has also surged, increasing by 300% over the past five decades according to the CDC. This condition, involving excessive fat accumulation, is a major risk factor for other endocrine disorders and cardiovascular issues. Causes include high-calorie diets, processed foods, stress, and sedentary lifestyles. Alarmingly, childhood obesity is becoming more common. Another growing condition is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder in women often linked to insulin resistance. It affects menstrual cycles, fertility, and causes excess hair growth. Its incidence has increased by 60%, driven by obesity, stress, and better diagnostic tools.
Cases of hypothyroidism, particularly Hashimoto’s disease, have doubled in the past 50 years. This autoimmune disorder damages the thyroid gland, reducing hormone production. Environmental factors, oxidative stress, and improved diagnostic methods like TSH and anti-TPO tests contribute to this rise. Thyroid cancer diagnoses have risen by 300%. Though environmental factors like pollution and radiation are partially responsible, improved imaging (e.g., ultrasounds) has also led to more cases being identified.
Symptoms include lumps in the neck, voice changes, and difficulty swallowing. Since the 1980s, precocious puberty has become more common, especially in girls. This condition, where puberty begins unusually early (before age 9 in boys and 8 in girls), has increased by 50%. Triggers include hormonal imbalances, obesity, stress, poor diet, and exposure to endocrine disruptors. Insulin resistance—a state where the body’s cells fail to respond properly to insulin has risen by 150% in the last 50 years. It often precedes type 2 diabetes and is linked to high sugar intake, lack of exercise, obesity, and chronic stress.
In summary, endocrine diseases have become far more prevalent in the past half-century. The primary causes include modern lifestyle factors such as poor diet, physical inactivity, stress, and exposure to chemicals that disrupt hormonal balance. As society has evolved with faster-paced lives and greater consumption of processed foods so too has the frequency of diseases that were once far less common.
By: Julianna Bartczak
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