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Publication #FAR8041

 

Growing Prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes in Children1

Mary Walch and Jennifer Hillan2

Figure 1. 
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Do you have type 2 diabetes or know someone who does? Most people with type 2 diabetes are adults; the disease used to be called "adult-onset diabetes." But the rate of type 2 diabetes in children is on the rise, and it is now being diagnosed in children as young as five.

According to the International Diabetes Federation, 1 in 3 Americans born today is predicted to develop type 2 diabetes as a consequence of obesity. Diabetes currently affects nearly 200 million people worldwide, and IDF figures predict that this will increase to more than 330 million by 2025 (International Diabetes Foundation, 2004).

Type 2 diabetes is caused by both genetics and lifestyle factors, such as an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise. Having type 2 diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, blindness, and kidney and nerve damage. Type 2 diabetes in children may lead to accelerated kidney and heart disease in early adulthood.

Prevention is key to confronting this problem. More importance must be placed on teaching our children healthy lifestyle habits. Since being overweight increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, it is important to make healthy food choices, be physically active every day, and stay at a healthy weight. Help your child reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by modeling these healthy habits yourself. The whole family can benefit from a nutritious diet and regular physical activity. Why not get started tonight by taking a walk together after dinner?

For more information, visit the American Diabetes Association at http://www.diabetes.org.

Listening, learning, and living together: it's the science of life. "Family Album" is a co-production of University of Florida IFAS Extension, the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, and of WUFT-FM. If you'd like to learn more, please visit our website at http://www.familyalbumradio.org.

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References

Fagot-Campagna, A., & Imperatore, G. (2001). Type 2 diabetes in children: Exemplifies the growing problem of chronic diseases. Retrieved February 25, 2004, from http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/322/7283/377.

International Diabetes Foundation. (2004). Diabetes and obesity epidemic in children: International call to action. Retrieved February 25, 2005, from http://www.idf.org/node/1211 [19 September 2012].

Footnotes

1.

This document is FAR8041, one of a series of the Family Youth and Community Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Broadcast as program 285 in January 2007. Published on EDIS September 2012. In the interest of time or clarity, the broadcast version of this script may have been modified. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Mary Walch, undergraduate student, and Jennifer Hillan, nutrition educator, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, Dean.