‘Obesity is driving up diabetes in children’
THE rising tide of obesity has led to thousands of youngsters having Type 2 diabetes, a charity has said.
Diabetes UK said that the number of children and young people with diabetes is the highest it has ever been.
The charity reported that 6,836 children and young adults have Type 2 diabetes in England and Wales, according to data from GP surgeries.
It said that the main driver behind the figures was the rise in obesity.
Other factors which could also play a part include family history and ethnic background, it added.
Type 2 diabetes is much more aggressive in youngsters and complications related to the disease – including blindness, amputations, heart disease and kidney failure – can appear earlier.
Diabetes UK warned that thousands more children and young people could be diagnosed with the condition over the coming years, as the latest childhood obesity figures show more than a third of children in England will be overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school.
It has called for better specialist support for diabetic youngsters to help manage their illness and reduce their risk of serious complications.
Meanwhile, it backed proposals for a ban on junk food TV advertising aimed at children before 9pm, and to restrict supermarket price promotions for unhealthy foods.
Bridget Turner, director of policy and campaigns at Diabetes UK, said: “Type 2 diabetes can be devastating for children and young people.
“To help shape a future where fewer children develop the condition, we need continued commitment across society to create an environment that reduces obesity.
“We need to encourage healthy living by providing clear and easy-tounderstand nutritional information about the products we are all buying, and protect children from adverts for foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar. At the same time, we must look after those who already have the condition so they can avoid serious complications such as amputations, sight-loss, stroke and kidney failure.
“Children and young people with Type 2 diabetes should have access to expert treatment by healthcare professionals trained to manage and research the condition.”
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We have called on the UK Government to do more to restrict the advertising of junk food to children and welcomed their commitment to consult on further restrictions to the advertising of food and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt to children.
“In the New Year we will be consulting on our Healthy Weight, Healthy Wales strategy, which has a key focus on reducing the numbers of our children who are overweight and obese. By enabling our children to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, we will also be able to reverse the worrying rise in Type 2 diabetes.”