Children and teenagers also among vulnerable lot

Lifestyle changes, which are now becoming a way of life in India, are increasing the risk of diabetes, even in children.

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in children and adolescents. When diabetes strikes early, it is usually assumed to be Type 1, or juvenile-onset diabetes. The body simply stops producing insulin and the child becomes dependent on an external source for the rest of his/her life.

However, in the last two decades, Type 2 diabetes is also increasing among children and adolescents between the age group of 10-19 years, especially among those who are obese with a strong family history of the disease. In Type 2, although the body produces insulin, but due to reasons like obesity, physical inactivity or a poor diet, there is insulin resistance and glucose builds up in the bloodstream. Eventually this glucose reaches dangerous levels. So the child has to depend on external sources of insulin for his entire life.

The greatest risk of diabetes in children is excess weight. Obesity in children is related to changing lifestyle and food habits. Children today do not practice many physical activities and spend most of their time on laptops, tablets and phones. Physical activity helps a child control weight, uses glucose as energy, and makes the body’s cells more responsive to insulin.

Additionally with fast food becoming a part of our daily diet, children skip out on a nutritious diet and have unhealthy eating habits. Type 2 diabetes can cause serious health complications. That is why it is very important to know how to spot its symptoms. Even prediabetes can increase the chance of heart disease, just like type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes due to high blood sugar may include:
• Increased thirst
• Increased hunger (especially after eating)
• Dry mouth
• Frequent urination
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Headaches
•Loss of consciousness (rare)
It's important to get diabetes testing and start a treatment plan early to prevent serious complications. Type 2 diabetes is usually not diagnosed until health complications have occurred. Most often, there are no diabetes symptoms or a very gradual development of the above symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

Prevention
Preventing diabetes in children is crucial as diabetes is not curable. It can only be controlled at a later stage. Diabetes caused due to weight issues in children and teenagers can be prevented mainly by bringing up kids in a healthy environment and inculcating good eating habits. Since young children pick up habits from their parents, it is important for parents to guide them and make them understand what is good and bad for them.

Parents can take the following steps to lower chances of diabetes in children:
• Encourage the child to undertake at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day in intervals
• Make meals and snacks that are healthy and taste good.
• Take your kids grocery shopping. Teach them how to read food labels to help fid healthy foods.
• Limit portion sizes of foods high in fat, sugar, and salt.
• Limit children’s play time in front of the computer, tablets, smart phones, and TV to 2 hours per day.
• Ask the doctor if your kids are at a healthy weight and if they have a greater chance of getting type 2 diabetes. (The article has been contributed by Kanchan Naikawadi, Preventive Healthcare Specialist, Indus Health Plus.)