Health Tips > Prevention Plus > Six Steps to Fight Type 2 Diabetes in Children

Six Steps to Fight Type 2 Diabetes in Children

Before the mid-1990s, very few children were classified with having type 2 diabetes (T2D). Unlike type 1 diabetes, which occurs because the pancreas produces little or no insulin, type 2 diabetes occurs when the body either resists the effects of insulin or doesn't produce enough insulin to maintain a normal glucose level. Sadly, type 2 diabetes often develops due to poor eating and exercise habits.

“When I was in medical school, type 1 diabetes was known as juvenile diabetes and type 2 was known as adult-onset diabetes, because it was prevalent in older individuals,” explains Tyler Cooper, MD, MPH, President and CEO of Cooper Aerobics. “Because of the obesity crisis in the United States, children began developing type 2 diabetes so they had to change the name.”

According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately one-third of children in the U.S. are categorized as being either overweight or obese. Worldwide, approximately 43 million preschool-aged children have been estimated to be overweight and obese and the average age of type 2 diabetes onset in youth is just 13.

“It’s shocking in the sense that it’s bad, but it’s not shocking in the fact that the obesity crisis in children is related to the increase in the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes at such a young age,” says Cooper, who’s also a father of three.

Reasons for the Rise
Cooper blames lack of exercise, poor diet and too much screen time as reasons for the rise. Research shows 34 percent of American children eat fast food on a daily basis and a majority of children are spending more time playing with electronics than playing outside.

“Children are spending more than seven and a half hours per day in front of a screen,” says Cooper. On top of that, Cooper says schools nationwide have decreased the time of PE classes and recess, often due to budget cuts.

“Each day, students should be doing 60 minutes of vigorous or moderate-intensity physical activity at school,” says Cooper. “Unfortunately, estimates suggest only about half of U.S. children meet this guideline.”

Making a Change
While parents might not be able to change the amount of exercise children receive at school, there are things they can do at home that can help make a positive change.

“The vast majority of diabetes in kids can be avoided or reduced just by making changes to their diet and activities,” explains Cooper.

Cooper says parents should strive to follow a six-number list he calls, "8,5,3,2,1,0."

8 hours of sleep, minimum
5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily
3 servings of low-fat dairy products
2 hours or less of screen time
1 hour of exercise daily
0 sugary drinks or highly-sweetened foods

Cooper says it's never too late to for parents to start enforcing the number pattern above, even if their child is already diabetic.

"Once you're a diabetic, you're a diabetic, but you can learn to control it, become what we call a lifestyle diabetic, where you can control it without medication," explains Cooper. "That's the ultimate goal."

And if the diabetic youth population followed the steps above, Cooper says it would make an enormous impact in solving the childhood obesity dilemma in our country.

"I think in time you'd start to see a precipitous drop in obesity and consequently, see a reduction in diabetes," says Cooper.

For more information about Cooper Clinic, call 972.560.2667 or visit cooper-clinic.com.