Diabetes and Heart Problem in Obese Kids

A decade ago the diabetes afflicted the adults but now due to the changing lifestyle this deadly disease is taking the kids in its fold too. It has become the concern of the parents to ascertain whether the kid is suffering from diabetes or not.

Diabetes in Kids
Photo Credit-Wikimedia Commons by Stewart Butterfield  

The reason for diabetes in kids is that their bodies are becoming unable to make insulin. This deficiency has to be made by the external intake of insulin.

The problem known as teenage diabetes or insulin dependent diabetes is redefining the life of children. Such children need a proper care to manage the levels of blood sugar.

The excessive intake of calories, decrease in fiber contents in food, lack of physical activities, change in lifestyle and eating saturated fats or common sugar or sweets or junk food are the main reasons due to which a child could become afflicted with type II diabetes.  

Most of the people are ignorant of the fact that a child could become a diabetic patient. It is only in the later stages that the teenage diabetes is detected and then the situation becomes out of control.

The beginning of the problem is slow and the parents generally avoid the symptoms for being unclear about them.

Despite these there is an increased desire for thirst and urination among the children, together with the lethargy and a drastic loss in weight. These symptoms of diabetes should be seriously monitored and a proper medical diagnosis be conducted at the earliest.

To avoid diabetes among the teenagers and children it is advisable to engage them in physical activities, check their obesity, take care of their eating habits and occasionally check their blood sugar levels. Otherwise the results could be devastating.

Obese Kids Aged Just 15 Show Signs of Heart Disease

A new study has shown that kids within the age group of 9 to 12 years of age having a high body mass index or BMI are more likely to have high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood insulin levels by the time each of them reach their adolescent age. These all are high risk levels for heart disease. A total of 5235 children took part in the study.

The children were the part of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, which has traced the health of more than 14,000 children since birth. The BMI of the children, waist circumference and fat mass between the ages of 9-12 was assessed. The blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and insulin levels were tested when the children reached adolescence at the age of 15 to 16 years.The positive results in these tests are the risk factors for heart disease.