Diabetic Living Australia – May-June 2019

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At whatever^ age^ it^ occurs,^ type^2 is^ a^

consequence^ of^ a^ complex^ interaction

between^ genes^ and^ the^ environment.^

Luckily,^ there^ are^ things^ you^ can^ do^ to

help^ control,^ or^ at^ least^ minimise,^ the^

influence^ of^ both^ for^ your^ children.^ The

following^ steps^ are^ a^ great^ place^ to^ sta

rt.

1

Know^ the^ risk^ factors^ (see^ opposite)

.

“The^ good^ news,”^ explains^ Associate^

Professor^ Andrikopoulos,^ “is^ that^ even^ in^

children^ who^ are^ considered^ to^ be^ at^ a^

significantly^ increased^ risk^ of^ developing

type^2 diabetes,^ it’s^ not^ inevitable^ that^ th

ey

will –^ or,^ at^ the^ very^ least,^ that^ they^ can’t^

delay^ its^ onset^ until^ later^ in^ life.”^ Research

supports^ that^ while^ at^ least^40 genetic^ ris

k

variants^ for^ type^2 have^ been^ identified,^

the function^ of^ about^ half^ of^ them^ can^

be modified^ by^ adopting^ healthy^ lifestyle

habits.^ In^ fact,^ studies^ show^ that^ those^

same^ healthy^ lifestyle^ habits^ can^ reduce^

the

incidence^ of^ type^2 by^ nearly^60 per^ cent

in

people^ who^ are^ in^ the^ high-risk^ category

.

2

Encourage^ an^ active^ lifestyle^ and^ a^

healthy^ weight.^ “It’s^ really^ important^

that^ children^ and^ young^ people^ do^

enough^ exercise,^ and^ that^ they’re^ free^ o

f

any^ weight^ issues,”^ says^ Professor^ Wales

.

“Bearing^ in^ mind^ that^ while^ it’s^ being^

obese^ that^ can^ increase^ the^ likelihood^ o

f

type^2 diabetes^ for^ at-risk^ non-indigeno

us

children,^ simply^ being^ overweight^ is^ a^

risk^ factor^ for^ indigenous^ children.”

While^ AIHW^ figures^ show^ more^ than^

a quarter^ of^ children^ aged^ five^ to^17 are

either^ overweight^ or^ obese,^ the^ results^

of a

2015 Australian^ study^ suggest^ that^50 p

er

cent^ of^ parents^ whose^ children^ are^ abo

ve

the^ healthy^ weight^ range^ don’t^ recogni

se

or acknowledge^ that^ they’re^ carrying^ to

o

much^ weight.^ How^ to^ check?

Currently,^ body^ mass^ index^ (BMI)^ is^ the

standard^ tool^ to^ assess^ excess^ weight^

and^ obesity^ in^ children^ but,^ unlike^ adult

s,

where^ age^ doesn’t^ need^ to^ be^ accounte

d

for, a^ child’s^ BMI^ will^ depend^ on^ their^ age

and^ stage^ of^ growth.^ Because^ of^ this,^ for

anyone^ under^18 ,^ it’s^ essential^ to^ use^ a^

BMI^ calculator^ that’s^ designed^ for^ childre

n

and^ teenagers^ (like^ the^ one^ you’ll^ find^ at

pro.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/calculator),^

rather^ than^ an^ adult^ BMI^ calculator.^

When^ it^ comes^ to^ exercise,^ while^ a^ stu

dy

released^ in^ early^2018 found^66 per^ ce

nt of^

Australian^ children^ aged^ under^ five^ ar

en’t

active^ enough,^ AIHW^ figures^ also^ sho

w

that^80 per^ cent^ of^ those^ aged^ five^ to^

17

aren’t^ doing^ enough^ physical^ activity^

to

meet^ recommendations,^ either.^

Official^ physical^ activity^ guidelines^

recommend^ that^ children^ aged^ one^ to

five^

should^ spend^ at^ least^180 minutes^ a^

day^ doing^ a^ variety^ of^ physical^ activiti

es,

and^ that^ ages^ five^ to^17 should^ do^ at^ l

east^

60 minutes^ of^ moderate-^ to^ vigorous-

intensity^ physical^ activity^ every^ day.

3

Know^ the^ symptoms.^ While^40 per^

cent^ of^ children^ who^ have^ type^2

don’t^ display^ any^ signs^ or^ symptoms,

there^ are^ some^ key^ things^ you^ can^ loo

k out^

for.^ “Apart^ from^ carrying^ too^ much^ we

ight,^

weeing^ and^ drinking^ a^ lot^ more^ than^

usual^

are^ common^ diabetes^ symptoms,”^ say

s

Professor^ Wales.^ Acanthosis,^ which^ is^

a

dark^ patch^ or^ band^ of^ velvety^ feeling

skin^

on^ the^ back^ of^ the^ neck,^ armpit,^ groin

or

elsewhere,^ can^ also^ be^ a^ warning^ sign

that^

a^ child^ is^ on^ the^ path^ to^ getting^ type^

2

diabetes,^ and^ may^ require^ treatment.

4

If^ you’re^ worried,^ see^ your^ GP.^

“The^ main^ thing^ to^ remember^ is^ that

early^ diagnosis^ of^ type^2 diabetes^ is^ really

important,^ because^ it’s^ not^ good^ health^

wise^ if^ it’s^ left^ unrecognised,”^ says^ Professo

r

Wales.^ “That’s^ when^ the^ damage^ can^ set^ i

n,

before^ treatment^ can^ even^ have^ a^ chance

to take^ effect.^ Plus,^ the^ tests^ to^ diagnose^

type^2 diabetes^ are^ really^ simple,^ so^ if^

you’re^ concerned^ about^ your^ children,^

see your^ doctor^ as^ soon^ as^ possible.”^ ■

Put^ a^ plan^ in^ p

lace

diabetic living MAY/JUNE 2019 111