The worrying rise of type 2 diabetes in children

Type 2 diabetes, mostly a lifestyle disease, is increasingly being diagnosed in children.
In the first decade of this century, the number of children in the United States with type 2 diabetes increased by 35 percent. This trend is expected to continue, and increase by 400 percent by 2050, according to Practical Diabetes.

It’s not just in the United States that childhood diabetes is on the rise. Similar increases have been recorded by the respective national diabetes associations in Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada.

In most cases, type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle disease. The Harvard School of Public Health suggests that 90 percent of type 2 diabetes can be attributed to poor diet, lack of physical activity or being overweight. The American Diabetes Association says that the number one risk factor for children is being overweight.

There is also a strong positive correlation with family history and certain ethnicities, according to Practical Diabetes. Those with either a parent or sibling who has diabetes or who have a non-European background are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

While the exact cause remains a mystery, the mechanics are well understood. People with type 2 diabetes develop a resistance to insulin, which is then no longer effective at removing glucose from the blood.

Type 2 diabetes, and the associated high blood glucose levels, can lead to a range of negative complications. In affluent nations, type 2 diabetes is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease, blindness, kidney failure and lower limb amputation, according to the International Diabetes Federation. The International Diabetes Federation estimates that 12 percent of global health expenditure is used on addressing diabetes.

For both children and adults, making healthier eating choices and increasing physical activity are the main ways of preventing type 2 diabetes. according to the Canadian Diabetes Association. For children, the Canadian Diabetes Association specifically recommends reducing sugary drinks and screen time.