Diabetes In The Young
Nation is getting younger..So is Diabetes, specially Type 2 Diabetes.
Earlier Diabetes or High Blood Sugar used to be a disease of the elderly, it wouldnt even be suspected in a young patient, or if found it would be straightaway labeled as Type 1 Diabetes requiring lifelong insulin injections.
Its more and more frequently seen that even children of school going age require anti diabetic medication. A big blame goes to the rising weight of the young population- as told by Dr Rajesh Kesari Diabetes specialist Delhi is witnessing a sharp increase in the number of overweight children, A survey conducted under the guidance of Dr Anoop Misra- a leading endocrinologist, in 2009 suggested that about 29% children going to private schools and 11.9% children going to government funded schools were overweight.
Excess weight leads to deposition of abdominal fat in Indians and the results in decreased insulin sensitivity, which fires a chain reaction leading to Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity and Dyslipidimea- all these conditions together constitute the Metabolic Syndrome.
Diabetes doctors in Delhi Dr Rajesh Kesari and his colleagues are of the view that Lifestyle changes taking place in the society are squarely to be blamed for this change, children prefer Fast Food which is rich in calories, harmful Lipids, Salt and Transfats, they usually have high glycemic index, all these causing high Blood Glucose levels, raising blood levels of fatty acids, causing Insulin resistance and its sequale like blockage of arteries in heart and Brain leading to Heart Attacks and stroke. Added to these is the sedentary lifestyle of our children; outdoor games have been replaced by computer and Television, which require no physical effort and leave the children snacking while sitting on a sofa engrossed in their favourite shows or games.
The same behavior may be tracked to adulthood- According to WHO estimates on NCD (Non Communicable Diseases)- physical inactivity causes 6% of global deaths- same as Diabetes. A recent report mentions the average age of TCS (Tata Consultancy Services a leading Indian Software Giant)- employees as 28 years, most of these are spending their time sitting at the desktops with no opportunity for physical activity.
The perils of Diabetes in this generation are that generation is more prone to risk taking behavior, and under peer pressure less likely to conform to the lifestyle changes advised by doctors than the wiser senior generation which has already undergone the ups and downs of life. If blood sugar levels are not controlled in this age group, they would soon end up with serious complications of Diabetes like Heart Attacks, Nephropathy, Retinopathy, Diabetic Foot Disease. Most of the Diabetes complications are predictable, the most may already appear in a span of 15 to 20 years, so these individuals at the prime of their lifetimes may be at great disadvantage because of the time and costs associated with these complications as compared to their peers.
The only way out as suggested by Dr Rajesh Kesari Director of the only dedicated Diabetes Care Centre in East Delhi- Total Care Control and one of the leading Diabetologists in Delhi is eliminating or drastically decreasing intake of fast foods, school canteens should serve only healthy foods rather than, Noodles, Burgers or other Indian equivalent of Fast Foods like Chole Bhature, Samosa, Bread Pakoda etc. All children should be discouraged from watching TV and working on Computers or Playing Video games and be encouraged to go out and be active in the play grounds or take up sports as hobbies.
Earlier Diabetes or High Blood Sugar used to be a disease of the elderly, it wouldnt even be suspected in a young patient, or if found it would be straightaway labeled as Type 1 Diabetes requiring lifelong insulin injections.
Its more and more frequently seen that even children of school going age require anti diabetic medication. A big blame goes to the rising weight of the young population- as told by Dr Rajesh Kesari Diabetes specialist Delhi is witnessing a sharp increase in the number of overweight children, A survey conducted under the guidance of Dr Anoop Misra- a leading endocrinologist, in 2009 suggested that about 29% children going to private schools and 11.9% children going to government funded schools were overweight.
Excess weight leads to deposition of abdominal fat in Indians and the results in decreased insulin sensitivity, which fires a chain reaction leading to Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity and Dyslipidimea- all these conditions together constitute the Metabolic Syndrome.
Diabetes doctors in Delhi Dr Rajesh Kesari and his colleagues are of the view that Lifestyle changes taking place in the society are squarely to be blamed for this change, children prefer Fast Food which is rich in calories, harmful Lipids, Salt and Transfats, they usually have high glycemic index, all these causing high Blood Glucose levels, raising blood levels of fatty acids, causing Insulin resistance and its sequale like blockage of arteries in heart and Brain leading to Heart Attacks and stroke. Added to these is the sedentary lifestyle of our children; outdoor games have been replaced by computer and Television, which require no physical effort and leave the children snacking while sitting on a sofa engrossed in their favourite shows or games.
The same behavior may be tracked to adulthood- According to WHO estimates on NCD (Non Communicable Diseases)- physical inactivity causes 6% of global deaths- same as Diabetes. A recent report mentions the average age of TCS (Tata Consultancy Services a leading Indian Software Giant)- employees as 28 years, most of these are spending their time sitting at the desktops with no opportunity for physical activity.
The perils of Diabetes in this generation are that generation is more prone to risk taking behavior, and under peer pressure less likely to conform to the lifestyle changes advised by doctors than the wiser senior generation which has already undergone the ups and downs of life. If blood sugar levels are not controlled in this age group, they would soon end up with serious complications of Diabetes like Heart Attacks, Nephropathy, Retinopathy, Diabetic Foot Disease. Most of the Diabetes complications are predictable, the most may already appear in a span of 15 to 20 years, so these individuals at the prime of their lifetimes may be at great disadvantage because of the time and costs associated with these complications as compared to their peers.
The only way out as suggested by Dr Rajesh Kesari Director of the only dedicated Diabetes Care Centre in East Delhi- Total Care Control and one of the leading Diabetologists in Delhi is eliminating or drastically decreasing intake of fast foods, school canteens should serve only healthy foods rather than, Noodles, Burgers or other Indian equivalent of Fast Foods like Chole Bhature, Samosa, Bread Pakoda etc. All children should be discouraged from watching TV and working on Computers or Playing Video games and be encouraged to go out and be active in the play grounds or take up sports as hobbies.
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