CHILDHOOD OBESITY, TYPE 2 DIABETES AT AN ALL TIME HIGH
American Council on Exercise Addresses Growing Epidemic

Americans who follow the news coverage of current health trends are probably well aware of the fact that type 2 diabetes is approaching epidemic proportions among American adults. Relatively few, however, are aware of the disturbing trend of the sudden rise in type 2 diabetes cases among American children and teens.

An estimated 20% of all cases of new onset type 2 diabetes are in individuals between the ages of 9-19. Twenty years ago only 2% of newly diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes occurred in young people. It appears that the exploding rates of physical inactivity and obesity among our young people are largely responsible for the emerging epidemic of type 2 diabetes among children and teens.

While there is no cure for diabetes, diet and exercise are cornerstones to treatment. “Research has consistently shown that exercise can stabilize blood sugar levels and make the body’s cells more responsive to insulin," said Dr. Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for ACE. “It has been estimated that diet and exercise could produce a more than 60% reduction in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in children and teens.”

As a parent, it is critical to understand when your child may be at risk. If type 2 diabetes remains unchecked or untreated, it can affect the eyes, kidneys, nerves, gums, teeth and blood vessels, leading to blindness, amputation, kidney failure and heart disease. Frequently, the initial signs or symptoms may be very mild or almost nonexistent. Among the first recognizable signs are unexplained weight loss, increased urination, extreme thirst, increased hunger, slow healing of cuts and bruises, and a patch of extremely dark, velvety and rippled skin, most often on an underarm or the neck.

“Unfortunately, many young peoples’ access to physical activity opportunities is becoming increasingly limited. Approximately only one-quarter of U.S. public schools require students to take physical education as part of the curriculum. To further compound the situation, a significant number of school districts have eliminated after-school physical activities as a cost-cutting measure,” said Dr. Bryant.

To aid in reversing this trend, our nation’s schools can support physical education programs and develop after-school exercise opportunities that anyone can enjoy – regardless of athletic ability. One such example is Operation FitKids, the youth outreach program of the American Council on Exercise.

OFK provides schools with one or more services to build a fitness program including commercial fitness equipment, educational materials, staff training, mentoring and/or community partnering.
For more information on OFK visit www.operationfitkids.org.

Source: American Council on Exercise, www.ace.org