Children and Diabetes, Essay Example

There has been heated debate in various communities – health, parental, educational – surrounding the alarming increase in childhood obesity rates and the rise in diabetes diagnoses in young children.  There are many who believe if a child is obese, she/he will become diabetic.  Diabetes is a very serious illness that must be managed for life.  Obesity is a condition that has serious consequences for mental and physical health.  Therefore, there is growing concern from many distinguished figures – including US First Lady Michelle Obama – who seek to identify the underlying causes of these two serious issues so a solution may be reached.   One theory is that childhood obesity causes diabetes.  However, this paper explores why this is not the case.

Diabetes is a metabolism disorder where the glucose in a person’s blood is not properly absorbed due to a lack of insulin in the person’s cells.  The glucose levels rise, causing complications that impact a person’s growth and energy levels.  The glucose in a person’s body that is not absorbed by cells is eventually eliminated through urination.  The blood cells remain deprived of the essential sugar they need to properly stimulate and regulate a person’s growth (including weight) and energy levels (leading to lethargy).

There are three main types of diabetes[i]:  Type 1, where the body does not produce any insulin; Type 2, where the body does not produce enough insulin or the insulin that is produced is not working properly; and Gestational, where diabetes only occurs during pregnancy and goes away after the birth of the child.   Types 1 and 2 are chronic illness that must be managed for life using a regimen of diet, exercise, and in many instances, medication.  It should be noted that a Type 2 diabetic can become a Type 1 diabetic if her/his pancreas begins to fail.  The pancreas produces the insulin needed for the body to process glucose.  If the pancreas stops producing insulin, or radically reduces the amount of insulin produced, a person with Type 2 diabetes may develop Type 1 diabetes.

Childhood obesity alone does not cause diabetes[ii].  When discussing obesity-related childhood diabetes, we are referring to Type 2.  (As explained above, Type 1 diabetes is a result of a failing pancreas.)  Diabetes in children is caused by a combination of poor diet and little-to-no exercise. Poor diet choices, such as fried and processed foods, lead to increased glucose (sugar) in the blood stream.  Young people today engage in little-to-no physical activity (i.e., exercise), so there is no opportunity to burn (or metabolize) the excess glucose in the blood stream.  Since the excess glucose is not absorbed into cells due to insufficient insulin, it is converted into fat, causing weight gain which leads to obesity.  Obese children many times suffer from low self-esteem, have difficulty making friends, and often-times are depressed.  The parents of obese children are often frustrated and saddened by their perceived inability to help their children cope with the stress they (the children) endure.  However, there are options.

Although diabetes is a chronic illness, Type 2 diabetes, which is a result of the insulin in one’s body being overwhelmed with the sugar (glucose) in the blood, can be managed through improved diet and exercise that results in significant weight loss.  Parents can encourage and support their children in losing weight by providing healthy meal options at home, directing children’s interest toward more physically-intense activities, and participating in these lifestyle changes with the children.  Type 2 diabetes can be eliminated, but it can return if the person does not maintain proper eating habits and/or exercise regimen.

Childhood obesity and diabetes are related conditions, but both can be managed through discipline, hard work, and determination.

[i] Medical News Today “What is Diabetes” http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/diabetes/whatisdiabetes.php

[ii] “Childhood Obesity and Diabetes: Two Sides of the Same Coin” TIME Magazine Online http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1984938,00.html