It is estimated that 17 million Americans have diabetes, and about one-third of them do not know they have the disease. Most of these cases are type 2 diabetes, a metabolic disorder in which the body is unable to make enough or properly use insulin to convert food to energy. Traditionally considered a disease of middle-aged and older adults, type 2 is now occurring more frequently in children and teens. It also is estimated that 16 million Americans, including an increasing number of young people, have pre-diabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes, and are at risk for developing the disease. People with diabetes are at risk for serious complications, including heart disease, blindness, kidney disease and amputations.
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report in October predicted that one in three children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes during his or her lifetime. Unless changes are made, by the time these children reach 50, the number of people in the U.S. with diagnosed diabetes will have increased by 165 percent. Scientists attribute much of this increase in type 2 diabetes to American’s expanding waistlines and inactivity. Government officials estimate that 15 percent of all U. S. children and teenagers weigh too much. That number rises to close to 25 percent in African-American and Hispanic/Latino communities. For many children, the risk is compounded by genetics that already make them pre-disposed to developing type 2 diabetes. These include:
The good news is that much can be done to help reduce youngsters’ risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The recently completed nationwide Diabetes Prevention Program conducted at Joslin and other institutions showed that people with pre-diabetes can reduce their risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent if they lose a modest amount of weight and begin a program of 30 minutes of physical activity daily.
Leading by example is one way parents and other adults can help. “Getting kids to eat healthier and exercise more is a genuine challenge in today’s video game and fast food culture. It’s a fact of life that children respond best when adults set the example by engaging in physical activity and practicing healthy eating habits,” says Dr. Laffel.