Children and Type 2 Diabetes Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been reported with increased frequency over the last twenty years in adolescents and children in the United States. As a result of T2DM glucose metabolism within the body of affected adolescents and children is severely compromised. Formerly known as adult onset and/or insulin resistant diabetes T2DM occurs due to the cell inability to properly use insulin which then results in lowered secretion of insulin as well as insulin resistance. Proactive steps if taken during pre-diabetic stages in the form of increased activity, dietary changes, weight reduction, and use of medicinal intervention in order to increase sensitivity to insulin and decrease production of glucose helps …show more content…
Contributing Behavioral Factors
Severe obesity has shown to be the common link in diagnosis of T2DM in children and youth. According to Kaufman while there appears to be a host of genetic and environmental risk factors for T2DM, perhaps the most significant risk factor is obesity. Also noted were the risk posed by sedentary lifestyles as a result of lack of exercise. With obesity being a proven link to increased incidence of childhood T2DM one rightfully assumes the role of diet and exercise is also significant. In this the era of social media, get it quick, enlarged portion sizes, and microwave mentalities our youth are paying the price and becoming less physically active, less social, resulting in obesity and poor health. With outdoor activities and socialization, giving way to video games, and time on the computer the lifestyle behaviors of present no longer promote healthy life and dietary choices and growth they are more in line with poor health, poor choices, and stagnation, thus it no surprise that obesity and T2DM has risen significantly over the last twenty years in youth populations. Sadly although there is much information at our fingertips due to the rise of technology and information age the habits adopted as a result of technological advances have proven to be more detrimental than beneficial to the health and overall well-being of today’s youth. The influx of processed foods and increased sugar consumption has
According to the United States Library of Medicine, diabetes is a disease that occurs when the body does not make or use insulin correctly, therefore causing fluctuating amounts of glucose in the blood. Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of adults and children from various cultures. According to the American Diabetes Association (2014), someone is diagnosed with diabetes every 19 seconds. The Center of Disease Control and Prevention most recent statistical report indicated there were 29.1 million adults and children affected by diabetes. Those numbers are astounding. Unfortunately, the American Diabetes Association (2014) estimates by year of 2050, one out of three adults will have diabetes. Therefore, it is imperative that adults take aggressive measures to prevent this disease. By the same token, diabetes diagnosed in children and adolescent is becoming more prevalent every day. The American Diabetes Association (2014) reported there were about 216, 00 children in the United States with diabetes. It is predicted that one out three children will be diagnosed with diabetes in their life. The statistics for both adults and children with diabetes are frightening; however, early detection can help lower the risk of developing the debilitating effects of diabetes.
In America childhood obesity statistics show that almost 60 percent of children are obese. This statistic continues to grow at an alarming rate. 70 percent of obese adolescence become obese adults. This means when these children grow into adults they will have more health problems than they already do and their quality of life will decrease. The amount of children who are obese between ages 6-11 years old has risen from 6.5 percent in 1980 to 19.6 percent, in 2008. In adolescents ages 12-19 years old the obesity rates risen from 5.0 percent in 1960 to 18.1 percent in 2008. Last year the United States government stated that obesity and type 2 diabetes have become a national epidemic.
Children can reduce the risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes by changing their eating habits and participate in physical activity. Weight in children has become a great concern because more children are becoming overweight or obese, hence increases the number of cases of children being exposed for pre-diabetes or already have the disease. According to Wilson, type 2 diabetes is more common in individuals with a family history of diabetes and in young female adults (2013). Furthermore, when children are diagnosed with this disease it places them more at risk for other non-communicable diseases such as heart disease. Hence, they are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease and blindness. Children with the presence of insulin resistance have a high risk for type 2 diabetes. Most of the children affected are minority overweight children (International Journal of Obesity, 2009).
Type 2 Diabetes: Form of diabetes mellitus in which the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body is unable to make insulin correctly (Health the Basics, Chapter 12, pg 413).
Childhood obesity is rapidly becoming an epidemic in America. Children are becoming overweight from lack of exercise and overeating. A average US child eats fast food daily without exercise. More than 15 million US children live in “food insecure” homes which means they have limited access to the foods they need to stay healthy due to the cost of the items according to the Trust for America’s Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Children are consuming much more than they burn off from exercise daily. Due to children eating more than they burn off, they are suffering from different types of diseases. Researchers are still studying these epidemics. So far, statistics have shown that children are in fact becoming obese from not exercising
This obesity epidemic has been blamed on the consumption of too many calories appropriate for an increasingly sedentary lifestyle (CDC, 2012). The result of this caloric imbalance is an increase in the prevalence and risk of serious health conditions among children, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health problems due to issues of self-esteem and social stigma. The long-term prognosis is equally dire, including a high risk of adult obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, osteoarthritis, and an early death.
The most basic regulation of weight loss or gain is the amount of energy we put into our body needs to be equally exerted to stay the same. If we put more in, it leads to weight gain and less energy in leads to weight loss. (6) Over the past years our standard portion sizes, from the home to restaurants, have almost doubled. (7) Foods higher in fat and lower in fibre are being consumed more regularly. Skipping breakfast also is contributing to a poorer daily quality of diet. (8) Poor diet quality and lack of physical exercise are major contributions to weight gain and a high BMI. In children, a high level of television viewing has also been linked to weight gain and obesity, through its link to lack of physical activity. (9) These factors are behavioural and choices we make on a daily basis but although a large cause of obesity is not the only
Teens and children in North America are starting to suffer from diabetes at such an earlier age. This disease tends to be more common with children that are overweight. “..type 2 diabetes affect about 186,000 youth under age 20.”(Kaufman ,et al., 2009) Diabetes is very common when people create a diet full on unhealthy foods, no portion control and limited to no physical activity at all. Maintaining a healthy diet but also lifestyle is key when it comes to lowering your risk for diabetes. “Careful ongoing
Diabetes has become a widespread epidemic, primarily because of the increasing prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is an endocrine disease in which the body has either a shortage of insulin or a decrease ability to use insulin or both. Insulin is a hormone that allows glucose to enter the cells and be converted into energy. Diabetes can be characterized as a prevailing, incapacitating, and deadly disease. There are a number of risk factors that increase a person’s tendency toward developing type II diabetes. Modifiable risk factors include obesity, physical inactivity and poor dietary habits are just a few. The
America is a melting pot of immigrants. First, the pilgrims, the Italians, the Polish came to America for opportunity. More recently, people from the Philippines, Syria, and Mexico have emigrated from their homes for a better future. Latinos are the largest minority in the US-making up more than 13.7% of total population. Type 2 Diabetes and its complications are a major health concern all over the world. Some racial and ethnic populations are more at risk for this disease. Type II Diabetes is well known as one of the most preventable diseases in modern times. The focus of this research paper is to determine why Latinx children are at an increased risk for Type II diabetes, compared to their peers. In order to understand the complexity of
Adult-Onset Diabetes, also known as Type 2 diabetes, is a condition that affects the metabolizing of sugar within your body; this is one of the body’s most important sources for fuel so it is crucial for the function to work or for you to be in control of the condition. The disease is most common in adults, but it is becoming more common in children because of the increase in childhood obesity in America and across the World. (Staff, Mayo Clinic 2016) Beginning in the 1990’s investigators began to observe that in some regions of the United States, Type 2 diabetes is as frequent as Type 1 diabetes mellitus in children and teens. Type 2 diabetes is a serious and costly disease. There are many chronic complications that can arise, including
Diabetes is a serious medical condition that affects millions of people every year. Although both type 1 and type 2 diabetes have similarities, distinctions can be found in the symptoms, preventative methods and hyperglycaemic levels. Symptoms regarding type 1 diabetes tend to surface between infancy and adolescence, whereas symptoms for type 2 diabetes may only be revealed through diagnosis. In the past this disease has primarily been discovered in adulthood, but an increasing trend in the number of children being diagnosed has altered this perspective.Preventative procedures also differentiate both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Extensive research conducted on type 1 has revealed to healthcare providers that prevention is not possible by any
Every eighth person in the United States suffers from type 2 diabetes mellitus. According to the CDC, as of 2010 there were 26 million patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the U.S. (CDC, 2011). The problem has been increasing despite various proactive and preventive measures developed to reduce its prevalence. In order to promote and ensure compliance, it is important to clearly understand the factors underlying patients’ decisions for noncompliance (Peters, 2012). The existing literature makes substantial contributions to this debate by outlining various factors related to problems of diabetes regimen adherence. Therefore, issues such as demographics, psychological and social factors are of concern, alongside other factors such as medical systems, healthcare providers, and factors related to disease and treatment (Chesanow, 2014).
In the precedent few years, Type 2 diabetes has risen radically among children and adolescents. Experts consider this increase is due to the high rate of overweight and obesity (Cutting TM, Fisher JO, Grimm-Thomas K, Birch LL1999). One of the core reasons of children obesity is watching television. Technology is a vast accessory that millions of people use commonly in daily life. Television could be the most-used technological product of all. Millions of people now have as a minimum one television in their home. Though television seems like an immense thing to have, it has its disadvantages. Television can pessimistically influence people, mainly kids. A number of observational studies have originated an association between television watching and child and adolescent obesity. Moreover, it is recognized that American children spend more time watching television and playing video games than doing something else apart from sleeping. Researchers conducted a randomized, controlled test to assess the effects of reducing television, videotape, and video game use on changes in adiposity, physical activity, and dietary intake (Fisher JO, Birch LL. 1995). “The previous twenty five years have caused such a spectacular increase in childhood obesity. Technology, overeating and lack of physical activity can all contribute to obesity”. Birch LL, Fisher JO. Development of eating behaviors among children and adolescents. Pediatr
A growing number of children are demonstrating unhealthy eating habits and as a result are becoming obese due to lack of physical activity, nutrition and genetics. Children in today’s society are not motivated to exercise and participate in after school activities. If we were to go back in time 15 to 20 years ago, children were encouraged to explore the outdoors by engaging in activities such as camping, bicycling, walking, running and playing sports. Now, living in the 21st century, technology has taken a major toll on our children health; they are spending more time indoors watching television, playing video, games, surfing the internet and texting on their mobile phones.