Health MattersWhy Are So Many Kids Getting Diabetes?
One consequence of our children's expanding waistlines is a big hike in the rate of diabetes among kids. "It's absolutely horrifying," exclaims Dr. Carlon Colker, who oversaw the fitness program on Shaq's Big Challenge. "Kids are coming in with diabetes in such large numbers that we had to throw out the terms we used for the different types." In the past, type 2 diabetes was called adult-onset diabetes, but the name became obsolete, what with so many children and adolescents developing the disease.
Just how big is the problem becoming? In 1992 only 4 percent of childhood diabetes cases were type 2 (the rest were type 1, which used to be called juvenile-onset diabetes). By 1994, that number had leaped to 16 percent. The increase in obesity among youngsters is reported to be the most significant factor implicated in the rise. The underlying problem in type 2 diabetes is resistance to insulin, a hormone that helps the body use the glucose we consume when we eat. The exact cause of insulin resistance is unknown, but we do know that obesity plays a role. More than half of those with type 2 diabetes are obese, and obese children and adolescents are more than 12 times likelier than non-obese children to have high fasting blood insulin levels, a sign of insulin resistance.
The good news is that losing weight can reduce a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes; weight loss can also make existing cases easier to treat. So if you need another reason to help your kids attain a healthy weight, there you go!
Learn more about the toll excess weight can take on your kids' health — and what you can do about it.
1 comment:
It will be a a long time before scientists can come up with better ways to prevent Diabetes through genetics. This is a huge problem that needs to be properly managed with better fitness and eating habits. I work on behalf of the New York Kids Club in several Manhattan and Brookly Heights locations and push for parents to check out NYKC's facilities or similar child enrichment centers in their area because it has so many positive benefits for their child(ren).
The variety of classes available throughout the day range from physical activities like wall climbing and ultimate fitness to more social engaging programs like broadway kids and cooking classes. The children are not the only ones who benefit from these courses. Parents are also allowed to participate in a number classes depending on the age of child; many of the classes allow children as young as 6 months to enter. Also parents get the chance to meet other parents or get the opportunity to exercise too! In the end it is really about teaching your kid to have a love for fitness and smart food choices, both of which is offered at New York Kids Club.
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