Kids (and yes, us adults too!) gravitate towards anything sweet. Cakes, candies, soft drinks, and all sorts of preserves are just too tempting to resist. The same can be said about meals made from starch. Have you ever known a child who says “no” to a bowl of spaghetti, or a fluffy cinnamon bun?
Well, delicious and convenient as these meals may be, parents have a duty to control their children’s sugar and starch intake. Not only because these foods often have very little nutrient value, but because they put our loved ones at risk for a serious and incurable condition: diabetes.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is an umbrella term used for various conditions related to high blood glucose or hyperglycemia. The exact cause of diabetes is still unknown, but most cases are related to the body’s inability to secrete enough insulin (the hormone that metabolizes sugar), or the inability to use secreted insulin optimally. The former is called Type 1 diabetes; the latter Type 2.
Alarmingly, the onset of diabetes is getting younger and younger, with most cases of childhood diabetes of the Type 1 variety. Even more alarming: most children with Type 1 diabetes have no family history of the disease! While official findings have yet to be released, current research suggests diet and lifestyle as the culprits of this increase.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the number of children diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes is increasing as well. This finding is significant, as Type 2 diabetes is typically found only among men and women 40 years old and above. The CDC attributes this increase to what it calls an “epidemic of obesity,” as well as the low level of physical activity among young people. Exposure to diabetes in the womb also increases children’s risk of developing diabetes.
An Incurable and Progressive Disease
It’s important for parents to understand that diabetes is an incurable disease. Worse, left unmanaged, diabetes can produce serious – even fatal—complications.
No treatment has been found to cure or eliminate diabetes. Once your child develops this disease, he or she has it for life. While there are medications that can help control blood sugar, all these drugs can do is to help manage the disease. Constant monitoring of blood sugar, as well as the right diet and lifestyle, are critical to ensure that the condition do not turn for the worse.
Complications associated with diabetes includes blindness, kidney problems (including hepatic failure), and leg amputation. Diabetes is also linked to an increased risk for heart problems including hypertension, stroke and heart attack. Complications from diabetes can be fatal; this disease is currently ranked as the 7th leading cause of death in the United States.
What Can Parents Do?
Prevention is better than cure, and the first step towards prevention is awareness. Parents are recommended to educate themselves about this disease, and the ways they may be putting their family at risk. The following are some tips parents can use to arm themselves against diabetes:
Check if your children are predisposed. Diabetes is a hereditary disease; it runs in families. If someone in your family, or your partner’s line has diabetes, your children have a higher chance of developing the disease compared to the general population. Being overweight is also a risk factor, but note that diabetes can also develop in children with a lean body type.
Know the signs. Always be on the look-out for symptoms of diabetes in your children. Increased thirst, increased urination, constant fatigue, and unexplained weight loss are often signals of high blood sugar. Stomach pains and headaches may also be indicators.
Visit your doctor. If you spot these symptoms in your child(ren), consult your pediatrician immediately. There are blood glucose tests can measure if your child’s diabetic or pre-diabetic. Better yet, make sugar work-up part of your children’s quarterly physical. A lot can be said about timely interventions.
Go for a healthy diet and lifestyle. Minimize risks by making sure your children get plenty of fiber, water and exercise. Note: preventing diabetes doesn’t mean children shouldn’t ever eat anything with sugar or carbohydrates. Sugar and carbohydrates are sources of energy; they’re integral to a balanced diet. But some types of sugar and carbohydrates are better than others, and portion size matters. To be safe, consult a dietician for advice.
Educate your kids about diabetes. You can control what you serve in your own dining room, but can you control what your children buys in the school canteen, or eats at a sleep-over? Explain to your children what food is good for them. Tell them too about the warning signs of diabetes. Encourage them to report to you ASAP if they experience these symptoms.
Be supportive. If your child does have diabetes, it’s important you offer your unconditional support. Diabetes is a life-changing disease; it’s tough on the adults who have it, and likely tougher on young children. While children with diabetes rarely need insulin injections, they would need to take regular medication and blood sugar monitoring. Make these critical procedures a part of their routine, but also make sure that diabetes doesn’t keep your kids from a full, normal, and happy life.
