The Epidemic Of Diabetes In Children

The increasing number of children suffering from Type 2 diabetes has caused many

epidemiologists to call this phenomenon as the new epidemic in the United States. According to the latest statistics culled in the last decade, there has been a 33% increase in the incidence of adult onset diabetes in children.

Type 2 diabetes develops in an individual because the lifestyle and diet of the individual makes the body unable to produce the hormone insulin for the use of cells. Insulin helps cells metabolize blood sugar for the cells normal processes. When the body does not have the proper amounts of insulin, there are two effects, namely: cells die because of the lack of fuel and oxygenated blood for its normal processes. The second effect is that blood viscosity damages blood vessels leading to many other issues. These two effects contribute to the development of complications such as cardiovascular issues, neural problems and renal failure.

The other name for Type 2 diabetes is adult onset diabetes. This means the lower production of insulin is brought about by a lifetime of high calorie high fat diets and lack of exercise. When this condition becomes present in children and juveniles, then there is a problem that needs to be addressed. The current generation is more prone to develop diabetes and the current statistics show that this kind of diabetes are common in children of African-American, Mexican-American, Native-American and Asian American lineage.

Current studies show that the increasing numbers of children suffering from adult onset diabetes is due to the failure of b-cells as well as increased insulin resistance. These though by themselves do not make type 2 diabetes as prevalent as it is. The main contributing factor is still obesity. In addition, there are other risk factors to the onset of diabetes in children. These include having a parent suffering from diabetes, the presence of the condition called acanthosis nigricans or the hyperpigmentation of the skin in the neck and fleural areas because of insulin resistance. Other factors that have been found to be contributory to the development of this condition at a relatively young age is intrauterine exposure to diabetes, sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diets.

The statistics are appalling. When the younger generation develops this debilitating condition, then their whole future becomes affected and greater complications are expected to develop along the way. Finding ways to prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes in children is the key to prevent this epidemic from spreading and harming the future.

by: Bobby Castro

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