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Diabetes in Obese Children

There has been a rise of diabetes in obese children in American, but there is good news. With diet changes and exercise, obese children can lose weight and lower triglyceride levels. They will then have less chance of developing diabetes as children and later as adults.

  1. Significance

    • According to the New England Journal of Medicine, obese children and teens are up to 25 percent of a greater risk for pre-diabetes and later type 2 diabetes. Just losing 10 to 15 pounds of weight significantly drops this risk factor. Understanding the causes of obesity and treating the problem are important to providing health care and quality adult lives to children. Children depend on the adults in their lives to purchase food, encourage exercise and teach them how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

    Size

    • Pre-diabetes is often seen in children that are obese. According to the American Diabetes Association, children with a waist size more than 90 percent of their recommended healthy size are more at risk for pre-diabetes and later type 2 diabetes. Lowering weight and core body exercises can decrease waist girth and help obese children become healthier.

    Misconceptions

    • Many people think that obese children don't end up with diabetes--that there is always time to lose weight. Some parents think that since they were fat children and don't have diabetes, their children aren't at risk. According to the American Diabetes Association, people that develop pre-diabetes symptoms, often have type 2 diabetes within a mere 10 years.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Increasing the amounts of omega-3 fatty acids in the diets of children can help prevent type 1 diabetes. According to the Journal of American Medical Association, adding omega-3 fatty acids in the diets of children decreases the risk of type 1 diabetes by as much as 55 percent.

      According to the American Diabetes Association, often, type 2 diabetes can lead to type 1 diabetes later in life. Changing the diets, lifestyle habits and weight of children can significantly reduce their chances of developing type 1 diabetes as adults.

    Diet and Exercise Changes

    • Adding foods such as dark cold-water fish, shell fish, walnuts, soy products and almonds can help to reduce the risk factors for developing diabetes in overweight children. Include a large variety of foods in your child's diet to help with weight reduction and to teach healthy lifestyle choices. Provide healthy food choices for older children and teens.

      Encourage your family to exercise frequently to lose weight and to have an active lifestyle. For example, go on hikes at the local botanical gardens, visit a water park during the summer months or have a scavenger hunt in your family's yard. Hop on your bike and go family biking in the early evenings. The easiest way to lose weight is through an active lifestyle.

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