Incidence of type 2 diabetes in children is growing rapidly. This kind of diabetes was previously referred to as adult-onset diabetes, but because of the increase in rates of childhood obesity, more and more children are developing this condition and therefore its name has been changed to reflect its more expansive prevalence.
Unlike type 1 diabetes, which is characterized by an inability to produce insulin, in type 2 diabetes, the person--child or adult--produces insulin, but the body is not able to process it normally.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 151,000 young adults under the age of 20 have diabetes. While type 2 diabetes affects all children irrespective of ethnicity, it is more common in non-white populations, particularly African Americans, Mexican Americans and Pima Indians.
Excess Weight
Being overweight or obese is the primary cause of type 2 diabetes in children. According to the U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 32 percent of American children carry more weight than they should, with one-quarter of American children classified as obese. Once a young adult is overweight, his or her risk for developing diabetes more than doubles. Being obese increases risk for insulin resistance and consequently, the risk for type 2 diabetes.
Factors that contribute to obesity are unhealthy eating behaviors such as choosing calorie-dense and low-nutrient foods, like refined and processed foods. Therefore, successfully treating and managing diabetes requires a change in eating habits. Eating healthy foods and reducing portion sizes can result in weight loss and will consequently lead to a better management of type 2 diabetes or a reversal of it.
Lack of Exercise
The sedentary lifestyle, which is so typical for today's American children, is another cause of type 2 diabetes. Not getting enough physical activity in combination with being overweight or obese puts a child at increased risk for developing the condition.
Spending too much time in front of the television or the computer as well as a decrease in the amount of time that kids are engaged in exercise during school physical education classes are contributing factors to the sedentary lifestyle. According to a 2010 study undertaken by the American Heart Association and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, even though phys ed classes are required by nearly all states, few states require kids to exercise for a certain amount of time.
But the good news is that exercise improves the body's use of insulin and as it burns fat, it helps to stimulate weight loss and control blood sugar levels. Hence, regular exercise that is fun and aerobic as well as gradual changes in diet are integral elements for managing and controlling type 2 diabetes in children.
Genetics
According to the American Diabetes Association, two key components must be present for a child to develop type 2 diabetes: He or she must have a genetic predisposition to it and the onset must be triggered by environmental factors, such as diet and lifestyle.
Having a family history of type 2 diabetes is such a large risk factor for the condition because it exposes the child to a set of lifestyle behaviors, like poor nutrition habits and lack of exercise, that are the hallmark causes of the disease.
The American Diabetes Association also cites that some scientists believe that a child's risk is greater when the parent with type 2 diabetes is the mother. And if both parents have type 2 diabetes, the child's risk for developing it is about one in wo.
A rare form of the disease, maturity-onset diabetes of the young, has a strong genetic component to it also but its risk factors are different.
Unlike some genetic diseases, which can have a simple and clear inheritance pattern, type 2 diabetes is complex, with biology and environment interacting with one another at the same time.
Similar to other lifestyle-related diseases, type 2 diabetes in children can be prevented by controlling the causes that lead to the condition manifesting. A healthy lifestyle, one that includes a healthy diet and regular exercise that is modeled by the child's parents, are the primary factors in reducing type 2 diabetes risk.
