High Diabetes Risk in Overweight Children Weight loss until puberty helps

Weight loss until puberty lowers diabetes risk for obese children

It has been known for some time that obesity in children increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. A new study has shown that this risk is no longer increased if the little ones lose weight until adolescence and keep their weight in the normal range even in young adulthood.

More and more children are too fat

In Germany more and more obese people live. Many children and adolescents are far too fat. Health experts repeatedly warn against underestimating the risks of being overweight. Obesity in childhood and adolescence can have dangerous health consequences, including increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes later in life. However, according to a Danish long-term study, this risk is no longer increased if the little ones lose weight until puberty and keep their weight in the normal range as young adults.

Overweight children suffer more from type 2 diabetes later in life. According to a new study, the risk is no longer increased if they lose weight until adolescence and keep their weight in the normal range as a young adult. (Image: kwanchaichaiudom / fotolia.com)

Long-term study from Denmark

As the German Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE) reports, the Danish scientists had accompanied over 62,000 men from childhood to adulthood.

In the seven- and 13-year-old boys and in early adulthood (17 to 26 years), the body mass index, BMI short was determined.

The BMI describes the ratio of body weight to height and is considered as orientation for optimal weight.

Four times higher risk for type 2 diabetes

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which the blood sugar level is permanently increased. In type 2 diabetes, the body no longer responds sufficiently to the hormone insulin, which controls the uptake of glucose from the blood into the cell.

At the age of 30 to 60 years, the metabolic disease was diagnosed in 6,710 men.

If subjects were overweight at enrollment and remained in puberty and as a young adult, the risk of type 2 diabetes was four times that of lifelong normal weight.

Boys who were overweight at the age of seven to 13 and then could lose weight were 47 percent more likely to be affected.

Pay attention to the nutrition of the children

For children, who had a normal weight again at the age of 13, the scientists could no longer determine an increased risk.

Apparently, the "danger" is overcome if the young people get their weight problems until puberty under control and adult as a normal weight.

However, the physicians in the journal "New England Journal of Medicine" to consider that pure observational studies can not prove a connection beyond doubt.

Many adolescents find it very difficult to reduce existing overweight. Therefore, it is particularly important that parents pay attention to the nutrition of their offspring right from the start. (Ad)