Diabetes is a serious lifestyle related disease. Diabetes is easily seen in adults. However, now symptoms of this disease are being seen in children. If children are checked for diabetes in advance, they can be saved from this problem. According to health experts, the condition before diabetes is called pre-diabetes. In this situation, blood sugar is slightly higher than normal, but not as much as diabetes. Let us tell you the reasons for the increase in pre-diabetes in children and how to manage it.
Causes of pre-diabetes in children
According to a report published in NIH, pre-diabetes in children is increasing from 4 to 23 percent, which is worrying. It is very important to increase awareness among people about this, because nowadays the cases of diabetes in children are continuously increasing. Let us know why its cases are increasing among children.
not eating right
Nowadays children consume excessive junk food. Burgers, French fries, chocolates, packed juices, soft drinks and sugary snacks have become daily habits. These contain a lot of calories and the nutrition is nominal. Due to this, the body is not able to use insulin properly and the risk of pre-diabetes increases.
lack of physical activity
Children remain busy only with mobile games, TV and tablets. Schools also sometimes take online classes. Because of this the physical activity of children has reduced. If the body moves less, calories are also burnt less. Due to which weight increases and insulin resistance increases, which can increase pre-diabetes.
childhood obesity
Excessive consumption of junk food and lack of physical activity are the main reasons for accumulation of fat around the stomach. This increased fat affects the functioning of insulin, due to which obesity starts increasing in childhood and the risk of pre-diabetes also increases. If treatment is not done in time, this condition can later become the main cause of type-2 diabetes.
family history
If any of the parents or grandparents in your family has diabetes, then the risk of diabetes in the child also increases. This is just a genetic factor, which cannot be changed.
hormonal changes
This condition occurs when girls start having periods at an early age and hormonal changes occur quickly. This is called ‘early puberty’. In such a situation, the growth of children may suddenly accelerate, due to which there is a risk of increasing insulin resistance. Therefore, it is necessary to pay special attention to girls who start their periods early or boys who have premature puberty.
lack of sleep
Nowadays children do not sleep at night due to studies, playing games on mobile or social media. Due to which their sleep is affected. Due to this, stress hormones increase in the body, which increases stress. This increases the risk of increased blood sugar.
How to manage pre-diabetes in children?
– Minimize consumption of soft drinks, packaged juices and sugary items.
– Include fruits, vegetables, porridge, millets, ragi, oats in children’s diet.
– Encourage children to walk, run and play their favorite games. If the child feels like dancing, then let him do it. By doing this the child’s body will remain active.
In obese children, only 5-7% weight loss can bring a big improvement in blood sugar. Keep children’s weight under control.
– If there is a family history of diabetes, get fasting blood sugar, HbA1c and lipid profile done.
– Do not allow children to watch mobile or TV before sleeping at night.
