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Dr. Stewart Harris, Associate Professor at the University of Western Ontario and chair of the Association’s Clinical and Scientific Section says “Canadians need to know that in many ways, obesity equals type 2 diabetes. Eighty per cent of people are overweight when they are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.”7 An estimated 80 to 90% of persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus are overweight or obese. 8 Diabetes is caused either by an insulin deficiency or by insulin ineffectiveness. Being overweight, eating poorly and living a sedentary lifestyle in childhood increases the risks of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.  Risk factors that increase a child's chance of developing diabetes when they are obese are: 1) how obese the child is 2) being apple-shaped (large abdomen) 3) genetics 4) extent of body’s resistance to insulin 7 Parents can integrate the Glycemic Index into their childs eating habits.The Glycemic Index is a scale that ranks carbohydrate-rich foods by how much they raise blood glucose levels compared to glucose or white bread. When you eat food that contains carbohydrates, the sugar (glucose) from the food breaks down during digestion and gives you energy. After you eat, your blood glucose level rises; the speed at which the food is able to increase your blood glucose level is called the “glycemic response.” This glycemic response is influenced by many factors, including how much food you eat, how much the food is processed or even how the food is prepared (for example, pasta that is cooked al dente – or firm – has a slower glycemic response than pasta that is overcooked). Remember that the Glycemic Index is just one part healthy eating. Don't forget to: • Choose a variety of foods from all food groups • Limit sugar and sweets • Reduce the amount of fat your child eats • Include foods high in fibre • Limit salt, alcohol and caffeine. • Choose heart healthy fats such as canola and olive oil.9  |
* Cholesterol: Testing cholesterol is tricky because levels can test normal. But with type 2 diabetes, the good cholesterol is usually too low, and the bad cholesterol and triglycerides are usually elevated. As a result, the overall cholesterol level can appear normal. The two cholesterols need to be tested separately. * Growth charts: If a child is off the charts in weight and sometimes height, or makes dramatic jumps in weight, this is a red flag. 18  Children may show all or some of these symptoms: * High blood sugar levels: in the 400s, while normal would be 70-120. * Very thirsty, drinking a lot. * Urinating a lot * Feeling weak * Skin color — darkening of the skin at the base of the neck, in the folds of the arms, or around the eyes, (sometimes referred to as a “mask”) * Unhealed scars: They don’t heal well, have boils, unhealed mosquito bites. 18  If we look to the future of obese children the Canadian Diabetes Association describes how obese people with diabetes have greater difficulty with weight loss compared to similarly obese people without diabetes. The goals of therapy for overweight and obese children at risk for diabetes are to reduce body fat, attain and maintain a healthy or lower body weight for the long term, and prevent weight regain. A modest weight loss of 5 to 10% of initial body weight can substantially improve insulin sensitivity, glycemic control, high blood pressure and dyslipidemia. 10  |