More Child Type 2 Diabetics

 Juvenile Diabetes is normally type 1. According to Wikipedia, this is a form of diabetes mellitus that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas.The subsequent lack of insulin leads to increased blood and urine glucose.Type 1 diabetes is fatal unless treated with insulin.Type 1 treatment must be continued indefinitely in all cases.

On the other hand, diabetes mellitus type 2 – formerly non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes, normally for adults 50 years and above – is a metabolic disorder that is characterized by high blood glucose in the context of insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency.The onset of this type of diabetes is more often due to obesity which is the result of bad lifestyle habits.It is often initially managed by increasing exercise and dietary modification. As the condition progresses, medications may be needed.

Long term complication from high blood sugar or hyperglycemia, include an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, amputation, and kidney failure.

Statistics pointed that Malaysia had the fourth highest number of diabetes cases in Asia, with 800,000 in 2007. The number is expected to jump to 1.3 million cases this year.


Doctors say more primary school students have been diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes in the last decade.

The Registry on Diabetes in Children and Adolescents (2006-2007) showed that 56% of the 42 T2D cases involved obese individuals. The doctors found that the young diabetics were usually obese, and their condition could be traced to eating too much unhealthy food and having a sedentary lifestyle.Most obese children spend their time either in front of the television, watching cartoons; or the computer, playing games. In they are not doing the above, they may be reading comics and at the same time munching unhealthy snacks. When they eat, they love fried foods such as nuggets, fried chicken, fries, burgers,and carbonated drinks. These bad sedentary habits leads to a high blood sugar levels from a young age.

In the West, it was reported that 30% and 40% of children are overweight and overweight Malaysian children is also on the rise. The Third National Health and Morbidity Survey, conducted in 2006, showed that in Malaysia, there was a high prevalence of overweight primary school children, and over 20% of them were obese.More amd more young adults from the age of 18 to 29 are also being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Parents are guilty of teaching their children bad eating habits from young. This maybe due to the belief that it is okay since they are still young and enjoy good metabolism. They fail to appreciate that good metabolism comes only with regular physical workouts! It doesn't help if the child spents his time in front of the television or the computer or doing his loads of school work without running around with his friends.

Due to their own busy lifestyle, parents often eat at irregular hours and do not serve complete balanced meals. They tend to eat out and food that is served is often fried. It is often said that you get your diabetes from your parents due to genetic factors. This could be true only if you get diabetes at age 50, not at age 10. It is more due to the eating habits and lifestyle that has been imbued and practised
in the household that influences one health. It is not surprising that they say, "like father, like son".

More on a serious note, our future is not a promising one if our children are not healthy. Who will succeed us if our children die young or are beset by numerous health complications? This does not include the millions of tax payers money spent on treating them in public hospitals.