More kids are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, according to a report by the American Association of Journal Diabetes Care.
Researchers found that young people who are Black, Hispanic, and Native American are more likely to have a higher burden of Type 2 diabetes than White children.
Parents have a list of worries when it comes to their children and Type 2 diabetes likely didn’t make the cut. But according to data, parents should be concerned.
The CDC predicts that Type 2 diabetes diagnoses will rise by 12% in children.
“Diabetes is a condition where there is an issue with how the body processes and regulates blood sugar. When sugar enters the bloodstream, it is supposed to be met with a hormone called insulin, which takes that sugar and puts it into our cells and uses it for energy. But with Type 2 diabetes, we have resistance to that insulin,” said Dr. Christine Nguyen with the Mayo Clinic.
Nguyen is a Mayo Clinic family medicine physician. Nguyen advises parents to be mindful of their kids’ eating habits and choices.
“Two of the biggest risk factors for type 2 diabetes are being overweight or obese and being inactive. As we get older that can also increase your risk as well, your family history, your cholesterol levels, your race and ethnicity, and also where you distribute fat,” Nguyen said.
Some symptoms of type 2 diabetes are Frequent urination, Extreme hunger but loss of weight, Unusual thirst, Irritability, and mood changes.
While this can sound scary, it’s important for parents to avoid food policing or weight-shaming a child into new eating habits. This can lead to low self-esteem or disordered eating. Instead, experts suggest having positive conversations about different eating lifestyles and making it fun.
“Take them to the grocery store so they can pick out their healthy snacks. Maybe it’s getting them involved in meal preparation for the week or meal planning for the week. With the summertime, it’s really nice to kind of experiment,” said Nguyen.