Diabetes Prevention for Children

Diabetes in children, or juvenile diabetes, is a serious condition that affects 13,000 young people, according to the Centers for Disease Control. This condition involves the inability to regulate blood glucose or sugar levels, making children unable to produce an adequate amount of insulin for the conversion of sugar, starches and other food into energy. Once children are diagnosed with diabetes they will have the condition for life, so it is crucial to prevent such situations from occurring. Some preventive methods include nutrition awareness, exercise and educational programs in school.

Nutrition

• Diabetes can be prevented with a healthy diet, specifically one that is rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean proteins. A regulated plan that avoids or limits starchy, processed and refined sugars is an excellent preventive method to ward off diabetes. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, fish, dried beans and non-fat dairy products, such as skim milk, non-fat yogurt and non-fat cheese. Additionally, children should be drinking plenty of water as opposed to sugary drinks and soda. They should also cut back on high calorie snacks, such as chips, cookies, cakes and ice cream and avoid food cooked in Trans fats. Finally, diabetes prevention is also about portion control and knowing when you are full to avoid overeating and weight gain.

Exercise

• Exercise is also a great preventive measure against diabetes in children. Staying active with physical activity can keep children trim and fit, while warding off weight gain, which is generally attributed to diabetes. As a part of a daily routine, children should partake in a combination of aerobic exercise, strength training and flexibility exercises. Aerobic fitness involves working the muscles for 30 minutes a day, at least five days a week. This can involve playing sports, running, swimming and walking. Strength training can be done two or three days a week, which builds bones and muscles. Flexibility exercises involve stretching and warming the body for five to 10 minutes. This keeps the joints flexible and reduces injury that may occur with more strenuous activities. Some stretches include reaching hands high over the head and touching the toes to the floor.

Educational Programs

• The ADA sponsors numerous educational programs for staff to enrich its students about diabetes. These programs not only target individuals who have diabetes but service as a preventive outlet through educational talks, interactive and exercise programs, and reshaping a school's lunch program to incorporate healthy and nutritious foods.