Foods4BetterHealth Reports on Rise of Type 2 Diabetes in Children: Study
Boston, MA (PRWEB) July 21, 2013 -- Foods4BetterHealth.com, a new food and nutrition web site that believes in using food to heal and prevent disease and illness, and help people live long, happy lives, is reporting on a new study that found a significant increase in the incidence of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure—commonly considered adult diseases—in children.
As Foods4BetterHealth notes (foods4betterhealth.com/sicker-than-ever-before-why-our-children-are-suffering-3194), a study published in the journal Pediatrics has found that children are consuming almost double the amount of sodium recommended (about 3,387 mg per day, compared to the recommended amount of 2,300 mg). According to the study, children consuming high levels of sodium and were overweight had three times the risk of developing higher blood pressure; and children with the highest sodium intake were twice as likely to have pre-hypertension. (Source: Park, A., “A salty diet is a recipe for high blood pressure in kids too,” TIME web site, September 17, 2012; http://goo.gl/qwkHY, last accessed July 17, 2013.)
As the article “Sicker Than Ever Before: Why Our Children Are Suffering?,” notes, children are also being diagnosed with more type 2 diabetes, a relatively unknown phenomenon until now.
Previously, doctors would only see type 2 diabetes in adults, whereas children would be more likely to be diagnosed with insulin-resistant, type 1 diabetes. Now, about one-third of all cases of diabetes in children are type 2. Researchers believe this adult disease is now being seen in children because of high rates of obesity, unhealthy diets, and a lack of physical exercise. (Source: Sifferlin, A., “Sick before their time: More kids diagnosed with adult diseases,” TIME web site, July 16, 2013; http://goo.gl/SntcO, last accessed July 17, 2013.)
Foods4BetterHealth continues to note that doctors are so unfamiliar with these adult diseases in children that the American Academy of Pediatrics had to publish the first-ever diabetes guidelines for children, to help doctors and parents recognize the symptoms of type 2 diabetes in children and take measures to control it. Left untreated, type 2 diabetes—in adults and children—can lead to heart disease, stroke, and premature death.
The Foods4BetterHealth report concludes that this study needs to be a wake-up call for families everywhere. The medical system is not equipped to deal with these adult diseases in children and medicating children with adult diabetes and hypertension drugs is neither safe nor healthy. That’s why it’s vital that parents and doctors encourage children to take measures to ensure that they do not develop these adult diseases in the first place, such as by eating a healthy diet and getting enough physical activity. (Source: Rochman, B., “Pediatricians issue first-ever diabetes guidelines for children,” TIME web site, January 28, 2013; http://goo.gl/PejJA, last accessed July 17, 2013.)
Foods4BetterHealth.com, created by Doctors Health Press, is a food news and health web site, offering readers information about the latest food controversies, exclusive expert advice, and health tips to ward off illness, prevent disease, and live a long, healthy life. For more information, visit foods4betterhealth.com.
Adrian Newman, Foods4BetterHealth, http://www.foods4betterhealth.com/, 1-866-744-3579, [email protected]
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