More and more young diabetics

Number of young diabetics is rising

03/11/2013

The number of young diabetics in Austria is increasing. Around 3,000 children in the Republic suffer from so-called diabetes. Every year, about 300 new patients are added.

Diabetes is becoming a widespread disease
In Austria, around 3,000 children and adolescents currently suffer from the so-called diabetes mellitus and about 300 are added annually. Not only in Austria, but generally in the modern industrial nations, diabetes is gradually becoming a widespread disease, which affects more and more children and adolescents. Whereas a few decades ago, it was possible to observe diseases of type 2 diabetes almost exclusively in the elderly (hence also called adult-onset diabetes), today adolescents are increasingly suffering from the metabolic disorder.

Numbers doubled in the last two decades
Also in Austria both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are on the increase. „In the past 20 years, the incidence rate of type 1 diabetes has more than doubled in children and adolescents“, Pediatrician Karl Zwiauer, Head of the Child and Youth Department at the St.Pölten State Hospital. „That is worrisome. All the more so as we can not do anything about it because we do not know why the numbers have risen so much.“ There is currently no safe and effective prevention of type 1 diabetes.

More and more overweight adolescents
In contrast, type 2 diabetes is well adapted to preventive measures. Zwiauer points out that the term age-related diabetes is outdated: „But that is not true anymore, more and more adolescents and young adults get sick. Only today I had again a 14-year-old with diabetes, he weighed 110 kilograms.“ And that's exactly what explains the increase in adolescent type 2 diabetes, namely the growing number of overweight young people. Obesity is considered the most important risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes.

Move more and eat less
But not only fast food and gluttony are to blame for the rising numbers of overweight adolescents, but almost more is lack of exercise the problem. Therefore, in the first place, more exercise and, secondarily, less eating options of prevention. „Because it decreases, but movement also increases the insulin sensitivity. You can thus prevent diabetes causally“, so Zwiauer.

Drink ten liters of water a day
The expert calls on parents to become aware when they find that their children are often forced to use the bathroom. Because sugar increases the urge to urinate and also quenches an immense thirst, this could even lead to a child drinking up to ten liters of water a day. Fatigue, fatigue, lack of concentration or irritability are other warning signs. „The power goes back, sometimes they also complain of abdominal pain and lose weight“, so the pediatrician. If the symptoms described appear, you should quickly see a doctor and do a blood sugar test. Because it is true that an early therapy prevents late damage. (Ad)

Image: Henrik Gerold Vogel