Health ‘timebomb’ as obese children are hit by diabetes
THE nation is facing a public health “timebomb” as children as young as five fall victim to Type 2 diabetes.
Official figures show that 621 youngsters across England and Wales now have the “entirely preventable” disease, up almost 14 per cent in a year.
Victims of the condition – linked to obesity and traditionally associated with adults – include 15 children between the ages of five and nine.
Experts last night demanded more Government action and warned that spending cuts are putting children’s health at risk. They claim the Government has slashed funding on public health by £531million over the last five years.
Izzi Seccombe, who chairs the Local Government Association’s community wellbeing board, which published details of the shock increase, said the figures “show a hugely disturbing trend”.
She said: “Obesity is usually linked with major health conditions later on in life, but already we are seeing the devastating consequences at an early age. This highlights the need to take urgent action on this major public health timebomb.”
Shameful
Tam Fry, spokesman for the National Obesity Forum, said: “It is dire that we have any children with Type 2 diabetes.
“It is brought on by obesity, so is entirely preventable. It is awful and shameful.”
Libby Dowling, of Diabetes UK, said: “It’s shocking children have to struggle with a condition that could have been prevented. The Government needs to take decisive action to make the healthy choice the easy choice – including stronger regulation on junk food marketing to children and the reformulation of foods to reduce sugar and saturated fat.
“We need to make it as easy as possible for children and their families to lead healthy lives and reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.”
The LGA analysed 2015/16 figures from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health for people aged under 25.
They discovered that of the 621 Type 2 diabetes sufferers recorded, up from 545 the year before, 78.5 per cent were obese.
And LGA experts now fear that because the figures only covered cases reported to paediatric practices, the true number of Type 2 victims is likely to be higher.
Mr Fry warned that children as young as one are now becoming obese.
Ms Dowling explained: “Type 2 Diabetes can lead to devastating complications in adults like heart disease, kidney failure and blindness. It seems to be even more aggressive in children, who develop high blood pressure and high cholesterol even quicker.”
However, the Department of Health insisted it now had “the world’s most ambitious plans on childhood obesity and diabetes prevention”.
It said in the past year Nestle, Tesco, Lucozade Ribena Suntory, Waitrose, Kellogg’s and Sainsbury’s had committed to reducing sugar in their products.