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Editor's Note: It is with no admiration, but rather with respect of the consequences, that diabetes is referred to as "the disease of diseases." And it is ravaging American families. We begin the new year with the first of a yearlong editorial initiative, "Defy Diabetes." Each month, beginning in February, Senior Writer Kimberly A. Porrazzo will follow the disease, as well as provide updates, within the In Shape department. Also in this issue, see Health/Your Kids. Emerging as the nation's new epidemic, diabetes is expected to overwhelm a generation of Americans in the coming years as it takes its toll on both our health and our health-care system. Families will be ravaged as parents become debilitated and their own children - growing up with poor nutrition, obesity and little fitness - run the risk of fueling the trend. Recently released figures put the number of affected Americans at 18.2 million, up from 17 million in 2000. Another 16 million are on the way to developing the disease, many of whom have no idea they're at risk, according to the American Diabetes Association. Dubbed "the disease of diseases," if untreated, diabetes can lead to blindness, attack the nervous system, cause kidney failure, bring on heart disease and strokes, as well as other maladies. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. Even more disturbing, it's now considered one of the greatest health threats facing our children - some say greater than drug abuse, greater than cigarette smoking, more threatening than HIV. Of children born in the U.S. today, it's projected that one in three may develop diabetes during their lifetime. Among Latinos, the risk is higher. The Interamerican College of Physicians and Surgeons, the nation's largest organization of Hispanic/Latino physicians, notes that one in two Latino children born today are likely to develop the disease. Consider the statistical odds. Of the nine players who take the field on your child's Little League team, one-third (the entire outfield) could get the disease. In a typical classroom of 30, some 10 students may end up as diabetics. Defining the impacts Aside from the toll diabetes takes on the body - one doctor likens it to HIV in that it affects all of the body's systems - it also is poised to put a tremendous strain on our health-care system as our children reach early adulthood. Already, the estimated cost of treating the disease and the associated lost productivity is $132 billion a year. That number is expected to rise. For some, the diagnosis already has arrived. According to U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, the number of children already testing positive for type 2 diabetes is growing at an alarming rate. As many as 25 percent of children are exhibiting signs of the disease, a statistic unheard of a generation ago. Even worse, those who develop type 2 diabetes early on face a more aggressive and dangerous form of the disease. A study by two Kaiser Permanente researchers, reported in the November '03 issue of Diabetes Care, found that young people who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have a 14-fold higher risk of having a heart attack than a young person without the disease. (Type 1 is commonly known as juvenile diabetes. Type 2 historically affects adults, but now reaches a much younger age group. Type 1 is caused by an autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Type 2 means people produce insulin but the body does not use it effectively.) Defy the disease Perhaps as disconcerting as the developing epidemic itself is the fact that type 2 diabetes is largely preventable. It is most often the result of poor dietary habits and lack of exercise - quite a commentary on our fast food, microwave, remote control lifestyle. The staggering momentum this disease is building has prompted health-care professionals to increase awareness through education campaigns such as November's Diabetes Awareness Month. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched a public information campaign through the National Diabetes Education program. The message: "Diabetes can be prevented." The Bush administration has pledged to double the National Institutes of Health budget over the next five years to fight this disease. Programs such as the Diabetes Detection Initiative - a plan that offers "risk tests" - has been implemented in 10 communities and is intended to become a nationwide effort aimed at, as the program slogan says, "finding the undiagnosed." OC Family Magazine joins this campaign by launching a yearlong series dedicated to helping you understand how the disease develops and by offering information that will help prevent your family from being affected. Following are the basics: defining diabetes and explaining who is at risk. Throughout 2004, look for useable suggestions to help you protect your family from this debilitating disease. What is diabetes? Diabetes is the body's inability to utilize its own insulin to move sugar (glucose in medical terms) from the bloodstream into cells where it is stored as fuel for the body's systems. In some cases, the sugar immediately leaves the body through urination and the energy is simply wasted, leaving the body depleted and fatigued. In other cases, lingering sugar causes problems with kidneys, eyes, the nervous system and the heart. Type 1 diabetes: Roughly 5 to 10 percent of diabetics have type 1, or juvenile diabetes as it is often called because it's usually diagnosed in children. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas produces little or no insulin. In many cases, those with this form of the disease require insulin injections in order to keep blood glucose at normal levels. Type 2 diabetes: As many as 90 to 95 percent of diabetes cases are diagnosed as type 2 diabetes, sometimes called adult onset diabetes, which occurs when the body is resistant to its own insulin. The body produces plenty of insulin, but the cells that need the glucose in order to function won't let the insulin deliver it to them. In the vast majority of cases, those afflicted are overweight due to poor nutrition and lack of exercise. Remarkably, returning to a normal weight can bring glucose levels back within normal range. Pre-diabetes: An individual with pre-diabetes has higher-than-average glucose levels. A simple blood test can determine if this is the case and simple preventive steps, including better nutrition and exercise, can reverse the condition. If not addressed, it's possible the individual will develop type 2 diabetes within 10 to 15 years. The threat Type 2 affects the vast majority of diabetics, And with the cause tied to obesity, projections for our children are not good. Today, obesity rates among children are at an all-time high. In the past 20 years, obesity has more than doubled among children ages 6-11 and more than tripled among 12-19-year-olds, according to the American Obesity Association. The numbers prompt experts to conclude that this next generation will be plagued with the disease. It's no wonder our children pack on the pounds. Fast food has replaced family dinners. The temptation to super-size is everywhere. And the amount of sugar our children are consuming is almost toxic, with nearly 44 percent of it coming from soda. According to California State Senator Deborah Ortiz, an advocate for programs that fight childhood obesity, today's kids drink twice as much soda as milk. Even toddlers are reportedly headed in the wrong direction. In a study funded by Gerber Products, it was found that children ages 0 to 2 are consuming far too much fat and too few vegetables. Of the 3,000 children studied (remember, this is the under 2 crowd), significant numbers are downing pizza, French fries and soda. The toddler set also is consuming nearly one-third more calories than they need; 1,200 on average, compared to the recommended 950. In the telephone survey that asked parents (or caregivers) what their children (age 4 months to 2 years) eat in a given day, respondents indicated that nearly 10 percent of 1-year-olds and 20 percent of 2-year- olds consume fries daily. As many as one-third of toddlers ate no fruits or vegetables on the day parents were questioned. Clearly, we can reverse the trend of childhood obesity and in doing so reduce the threat of diabetes to our children. It will take education, discipline and an intentional effort to change the lifestyle we've allowed our families to adopt. Imagine being told your child had a deadly disease that could rob him of his sight, cause a limb to be amputated or even lead to premature death. You'd do everything in your power to find a cure. That's exactly what our children are threatened with and the power to change their course is in the hands of parents. By example and role modeling, you can help your child avoid diabetes. Check up Factors that contribute to increased risk of developing diabetes: • People who carry excess weight are more likely to have insulin problems. • A high body mass index (BMI) can lead to diabetes. A healthy BMI is between 20 and 24.9. Ratings at 25 or above increase risk. • High levels of cholesterol and triglycerides also are a factor. • Risk increases with age as the pancreas simply becomes less effective. • Ethnic background can increase risk; African-Americans, Latinos and Native Americans face a higher risk of developing diabetes. • Family history is a contributor. A sibling or parent with diabetes will increase your risk. • A woman who has given birth to a baby weighing over 9 lbs. or one who had gestational diabetes while pregnant faces greater risk than a woman with a lower weight baby and no gestational diabetes. • Carrying extra abdominal weight or being apple-shaped is also an indicator. Kimberly A. Porrazzo is a senior writer with OC Family Magazine. Resources "Small Steps, Big Rewards - Preventing type 2 Diabetes," is a campaign of education and information from the National Diabetes Education Program, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A free book on preventing diabetes is available through their toll-free number. 800.438.5383. American Diabetes Association: www.diabetes.org Diabetes information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/diabetes Juvenile Diabetes Foundation: www.jdf.org Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation: www.jdrf.org |
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