Kids and Type 2 Diabetes – Unheard of till recent times
October 17th 2006 00:57
It’s been recently suggested that kids in western society in particular, could be the first generation to die before their parents. Sounds wrong doesn’t it? The sad thing (or the positive, whichever way you choose to see it), is that it can be prevented by changes in lifestyle and diet.
Type 2 diabetes is also known as mature age diabetes. As the name suggests, kids aren’t usually prone to it…until recent times. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not break down the glucose in the blood as efficiently as it should. Insulin is responsible for processing the glucose. In type 2 diabetics, the pancreas that produces the insulin does not produce sufficient insulin to meet the body’s requirements, although it does still produce some. Type 1 diabetics don’t produce insulin at all, or very little, thus they need injections of insulin. Low GI foods are ideal to eat as they break down slowly, releasing glucose into the blood at a slow rate. This in turn doesn't put too much pressure on the pancreas to release huge volumes of insulin in a short time. Low GI foods are most fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and nuts.
The key to treating Type 2 diabetes is to exercise regularly and make some major changes in the diet. It may also require treatment with medication and guidance from your doctor. The more overweight and generally unfit a person, the greater the chance of becoming a Type 2 diabetic. You only have to look around the local shopping centre or your child’s playground at school to witness the plague that is childhood obesity. There is a direct correlation between the big rise in childhood obesity and the onset of childhood diabetes. If untreated, the risk of experiencing cardiovascular problems, kidney disease, and stroke is very real.
Our fast food giants, coupled with a desire to sit in front of the PC for hours and play high tech games are no doubt assisting with the rise in fat kids. However if a parent is overweight and not really into the active lifestyle, what hope does a child have of learning how to live a physically active life? Maybe we should be targeting the parents? MB
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
Type 2 diabetes is also known as mature age diabetes. As the name suggests, kids aren’t usually prone to it…until recent times. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not break down the glucose in the blood as efficiently as it should. Insulin is responsible for processing the glucose. In type 2 diabetics, the pancreas that produces the insulin does not produce sufficient insulin to meet the body’s requirements, although it does still produce some. Type 1 diabetics don’t produce insulin at all, or very little, thus they need injections of insulin. Low GI foods are ideal to eat as they break down slowly, releasing glucose into the blood at a slow rate. This in turn doesn't put too much pressure on the pancreas to release huge volumes of insulin in a short time. Low GI foods are most fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and nuts.
The diabetic's curse
The key to treating Type 2 diabetes is to exercise regularly and make some major changes in the diet. It may also require treatment with medication and guidance from your doctor. The more overweight and generally unfit a person, the greater the chance of becoming a Type 2 diabetic. You only have to look around the local shopping centre or your child’s playground at school to witness the plague that is childhood obesity. There is a direct correlation between the big rise in childhood obesity and the onset of childhood diabetes. If untreated, the risk of experiencing cardiovascular problems, kidney disease, and stroke is very real.
Our fast food giants, coupled with a desire to sit in front of the PC for hours and play high tech games are no doubt assisting with the rise in fat kids. However if a parent is overweight and not really into the active lifestyle, what hope does a child have of learning how to live a physically active life? Maybe we should be targeting the parents? MB
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
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