India Sees a Steady Rise in the Number of Children Affected by Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes, previously known as juvenile diabetes, is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. Cases of Type 1 diabetes among children have risen from 1% to around 5% in the last couple of years, doctors said. According to doctors more than 3,000 children are affected by type 1 diabetes, compared with about 600 around 20 years ago.

Doctors said that the prime reason behind the rise is the destruction of beta cells which produce insulin.

"Diabetes is occurring early because of increase in obesity in children, westernisation of diet, ingestion of high carbs and fat, lack of fruits and vegetables, and decrease in physical activity," said Meena Chhabra, a Delhi based diabeteologist.

"Obesity has grown over 40% among the children," Chhabra added. "The symptoms include increased urination, increased hunger and thirst, frequent infections and loss of weight, extreme fatigue, and eventually drowsiness and coma, which is known as diabetic keto acidosis."

According to Dr. Ashraf Ghani, assistant professor of Endocrinology at AIIMS, currently 70,000 youngsters suffer from diabetes in India, which every year increases by 2-3%.

"Childhood obesity is on the rise especially among the school children and may be feeding to this epidemic of diabetes," Dr. Ghani said. "Diabetes in children is extremely dangerous, which the world is not realizing. Type 1 diabetes was uncommon till now, but is increasing, and it may account for 2-3 per cent of total diabetes load."

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The difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes is that the former usually starts in childhood or young adulthood while the latter is usually discovered in adulthood.

Source-IANS