Title: Type 2 Diabetes and Kids: The Growing Epidemic - Consumer Health News | HealthDay
Headings: Type 2 Diabetes and Kids: The Growing Epidemic
Type 2 Diabetes and Kids: The Growing Epidemic
Chris Woolston
Can children get type 2 diabetes?
Which children are at risk for type 2 diabetes?
What are the warning signs of type 2 diabetes?
Are there everyday consequences for children with type 2 diabetes?
How is childhood type 2 diabetes treated?
Can childhood type 2 diabetes be prevented?
References

Content: With proper medical treatment and a self-care program that incorporates exercise, glucose monitoring, and nutrition, however, your child can likely keep his or her blood sugar under control and avoid serious complications. Which children are at risk for type 2 diabetes? More than 80 percent of all children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes are overweight, and about 40 percent are clinically obese. Indeed, researchers suspect that increases in obesity among young people is driving the new epidemic. There has long been a statistical link between obesity and type 2 diabetes, but exactly why millions of overweight people develop type 2 diabetes has long been a medical mystery. Scientists have found that certain fat cells are metabolically active and secrete chemicals that raise inflammation levels in the body and contribute to increased fat in the liver, which is a risk factor for insulin resistance -- a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Other studies have suggested that the type of obesity -- or where you store your fat -- may make a difference as well. Those who store it around the middle (the so-called apple shape) as deep belly fat are at higher risk of developing diabetes. Some experts believe that high-carbohydrate, low-fiber diets are part of the problem. Finally, because exercise makes your body's muscle cells more sensitive to insulin, a sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor.