Chennai: Skipping one’s breakfast, snacking on unhealthy food and refraining from indulging in any form of exercise is, according to doctors, a cause for the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes among children in the state. A study by the Diabetes Foundation of India found that currently around 70,000 children under the age of 15 suffer from Type 1 diabetes and 40,000 suffer from Type 2 diabetes.
Expressing a word of caution, Dr Anitha Arockiasamy, Physician and President of India Home Health Care (IHHC), said, “The rising prevalence is directly connected to the change in lifestyle. About a lakh children, especially in urban India are affected by diabetes. Precaution, early detection, suitable treatment and well-managed lifestyle are recommended.” “Compared to 50.8 million in 2010, India is now home to over 69.1 million people with the disease. This is one disease that can lead to multiple complications in the body, including issues of the eye and the brain. Diabetes requires prevention, control and care to avoid serious complications,” she added.
With children refraining from stepping outdoors or indulging in any form of physical activity, developing lifestyle diseases like diabetes and obesity is seen as a common factor. “At a time when lifestyle diseases are at an all-time high, it becomes absolutely critical to maintain a diet, which is well-balanced and nutritious. We try to be particular about eating healthy meals but more often than not, forget to take into consideration what we snack on, between those meals. Unhealthy snacking can negate a big part of all the benefits from healthy meals we eat during the day. Hence, healthy and smart snacking is just as essential as eating healthy meals,” said Nutritionist Dr Sneha P.
With the occurrence continuing to rise, giving India the title 'the diabetes capital of the world', the need to fight and curb the diabetic prevalence in the much younger is seen as the need of the hour. “Diabetes should be checked in the 14-17 age category itself. Only then can we see any improvement,” said diabetologist Dr Thomas.
