Diabetes rates are on the increase among American youth. Type 2 diabetes that used to be seen primarily among adults over 45 is now more common in children. One out of every 523 people younger than 20 years old has diabetes. The World Diabetes Day campaign theme for 2007 was “Diabetes in Children and Adolescents,” which was intended to raise awareness about the increasing prevalence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes among youth around the world. Educational materials were released in November to coincide with National Diabetes Awareness month.
Type 1 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes among children and young adults. However, type 2 diabetes rates are soaring because of the youth obesity problem. The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) is spreading the message to more than 54 million Americans with pre-diabetes that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed. They have developed a new “Tips for Teens with Diabetes” series, which encourages youth to be active, make healthy food choices, and stay at a healthy weight.
The NDEP’s new series of tip sheets is intended to help young people diagnosed with diabetes and their parents to manage the disease. There is also an online quiz created especially for teenagers to help them manage their disease and reduce the risk of complications. The National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention jointly sponsor the NDEP.
Most children love video games and movies. If you have just had, a child placed in your home for adoption it can certainly be tempting to let that child sit in front of the television. If the child is new to your family and new to the neighborhood then he or she doesn’t have friends to play with yet. Even if you wouldn’t normally let your child play video games for hours, you probably feel a little sorry for your new child. However, lack of exercise is a factor in developing type 2 diabetes so be careful not to let this develop into an unhealthy routine that you’ll have trouble breaking later.
Many children who come from the foster care system or orphanages were also used to hunger. Many of them will gorge or hoard food and they tend to prefer sweets. While we initially provide children with their favorites to help them adjust to their new environment, we need to be careful not to let this become routine as well. Childhood obesity is the main reason that type 2 diabetes is on the rise.
For more information about NDEP’s free resources for children and teens, visit www.YourDiabetesInfo.org or call 1-888-693-NDEP (6337).
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Photo Credit Julia Fuller 2007
Thanks for bringing attention to National Diabetes Month. Additionally, thanks for helping to clarify the distinction between the two very different types of diabetes. My son has Type 1 and it is an autoimmune illness, having nothing to do with lifestyle or dietary choices – at least not his own. Type 2 runs in hubby’s side of the family & our son is genetically wired that way, I suppose.
However, thanks again for highlighting this awareness month!
This is a picture of somebody shooting drugs. It looks like heroin. Somebody is definitely not someone testing their pH or injecting insulin.
Sorry
NCOZADD-I know. If you’d like to email me a copyright free, royalty free picture I’ll be glad to use it. They’ve gotten tuff about pictures we can use. When my son’s diabetic friend comes over I can take a picture of my own and replace it, in the meantime, it’s the only shot picture I had.
Marie, thanks for the feedback. My 12 year old son’s best friend was diagnosed a couple of years ago at 10. It is very difficult to manage, especially if you have a child in public school. You’re fortunate to be able to homeschool.