Diabesity
The New Childhood Disease You Should Know About
By Dr. Nancy

Most of us know that overweight adults are increasingly developing type 2, or non-insulin-dependent, diabetes. Sadly, the other age group in which this diagnosis is increasing rapidly is school children. At one time, type 2 diabetes was an adult disease (called adult-onset diabetes) and all victims were over age 30. Today, physicians are diagnosing the disease in children as young as four.

At-risk children are usually overweight, physically inactive and carry their weight around the middle of their body. Their skin color may have patches of brown/black spots, with velvety skin under their arms, a condition called acanthosis nigricans. This is a sign of higher-than-normal insulin and indicates a metabolic breakdown leading to diabetes.

Children in this category should be treated as prediabetic. A weight loss programs can help many of these kids reduce their risks of developing diabetes. This is a very important part of the plan to keep your child healthy and disease free.

Type 2 diabetes has been described as the most potentially devastating disease to attack American children since the polio epidemic. This disorder affects every cell in the body. The body’s cells fail to absorb the glucose (sugar) that fuels the body’s muscles, nerves and brain. When the sugar cannot enter the cells, it builds up in the blood, leading over time to various complications including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, nerve damage, limb amputation and possible blindness. Overall, a child with diabetes acts tired and moody.

Lifestyle choices have contributed significantly to the increase of children with type 2 diabetes. The term “couch potato” applies to inactive children as well as adults. We are all subject to cravings for fast food and for easy-to-fix, microwaveable foods. It is no wonder we are overweight if we watch television 5–6 hours at a stretch while snacking on our favorite high calorie foods. Kids learn to do what their role models––Mom and Dad––do, so they develop the same life patterns. This leaves the entire family at risk.

How can you tell if your child is at risk of developing diabetes?

• Do you have a family history of type 2 diabetes in first- and second-degree relatives?

• Are you a member of an at risk ethnic group? (Native American, African-American, Latina, Asian-American or South Pacific Islander)

• Do you see signs of insulin resistance or conditions associated with insulin resistance, such as acanthosis nigricans, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, or polycystic ovary syndrome?

• Schedule a blood-sugar test (ask for a fasting plasma glucose test) every 2 years if your child is overweight.

There is no time to delay if you think your child may be at risk. Call your doctor and find out. Many children do not have warning signs, or have symptoms so mild that they are missed. If your child is overweight, schedule an appointment with your physician, especially if you see any of these clues:

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Unexplained weight loss
• Increased fatigue
• Irritability
• Blurry vision

Here are nine simple things you can do to prevent diabetes in any family member:

1. Eat healthy foods and reduce sugar intake.

2. Move and be a more active family.

3. Know the range of normal weights and risk factors of diabetes.

4. Start young with good habits.

5. Limit TV time to 1-2 hours a day.

6. Drink more milk and fewer soft drinks.

7. Serve healthy dinners at home whenever possible.

8. Exercise as a family.

9. Lifestyle is the key to being a healthy, happy family.

Visit www.prevention.com/links for more information about type 2 diabetes and your child.

For more information about these ideas, review the Help Yourself section or Ask Dr. Nancy. She would love to hear from you and answer your questions.