How to prevent increasing of diabetes in children? Inculcating healthy eating habits and some physical activity like walking, outdoor sports, yoga etc can prevent increasing diabetes in children.
The incidence of diabetes (both Type 1 and Type 2) in children is increasing with every passing year. Diabetes is a silent disease and hence, its symptoms are not usually visible unless it is very severe. Some indicators of diabetes when it is severe are sudden loss of weight, extensive thirst and frequent urination. This is more common in Type 1 Diabetes rather than Type 2 Diabetes.
The leading causes of Type 2 diabetes are sedentary lifestyle and family history of Diabetes in parents. Obesity also increases the risk of diabetes. Out of 50 obese children, around 4 of them will be already meeting criteria for diabetes! Not only type 1 diabetes is on the rise, even type 2 Diabetes has also become very common among children in the city. The major causes of type 2 diabetes are, genes i.e, diabetes is transmitted to the child from his/ her mother/father and environmental factors.
Lack of exercise coupled with long hours spent on electronic gadgets and television are some of the major factors contributing to the rise in diabetes among children. Access and intake of high calorie/high glycaemic foods also make children susceptible to type two diabetes.
Diabetes often gets overlooked as the symptoms are not much prevalent. Inculcating healthy eating habits and encouraging them to participate in some kind of physical activity like walking, outdoor sports, yoga etc can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. Annual Height weight check-up and tracking your child’s BMI level can help prevent your child from developing diabetes.
Dr. Subramanian Kannan
Consultant, Endocrinology
Mazumdar Shaw Medical Center,
Bommasandra,
Bangalore
