rise of diabetes 2 among children
Consultants considered that the explanation of the increase in type 2 diabetes among children through the failure of awareness is a pretext to justify this, pointing out that this statement is totally incorrect, as health authorities, whether public or private, are making great efforts to prevent the spread of diabetes 2 among children.
They attributed the increase to the sedentary lifestyle that some children live, and over time it leads them to obesity predisposing to acquired diabetes.
Professor of Endocrinology and Diabetes at the Faculty of Medicine at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Professor Abdul Moeen Al-Agha, warned of the threat of type 2 diabetes that affects adults in the Kingdom due to cases of obesity in children, stressing the need to change the lifestyle of society to confront this danger, and indicated that during In recent years, obesity has spread significantly among groups of children, adults, adolescents and young adults all over the world, including Saudi society, which has led to an increase in the emergence of type 2 diabetes in these age groups, and this pattern was not known in previous decades except in adults and the elderly, The main reason for this is the prevalence of obesity.
Al-Agha pointed out that health awareness programs for children exist and are being exerted in a large way, but - unfortunately - there is a missing link, which is the absence of the role of parents in urging their children to follow a healthy lifestyle, which led to an increase in cases of obesity among children and over time the possibility of their exposure to acquired diabetes, Pointing out that there are many causes that lead to obesity, including: genetic factors, environmental factors, including: (unhealthy lifestyles and lifestyles, lack of regular exercise, sitting in front of the computer and electronic games).
Al-Agha called for the need to return to the honorable prophetic advice of the hadith of the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace: “The son of Adam does not fill an evil vessel from the stomach.” Changing the lifestyle, exercising an hour per day (3-5 days a week), avoiding fast food and soft drinks, stressing On the importance of drinking milk and water, rationing sitting time in front of the computer, electronic games and means of communication, limiting the intake of unhealthy meals, raising community awareness regarding the effects of obesity, and increasing awareness programs for this in the media.
In this context, Professor and Consultant of Family and Community Medicine, Professor Tawfiq Khoja, warned children against increasing the consumption of fast food and immobility, explaining that fast food is foods that are prepared in a very short time less than the time it takes to cook regular meals that are brought at home, such as burgers. Pizza and other types of sandwiches, and are rich in fats, preservatives and calories that result in many damages.
Khoja pointed out that fast food contains a large proportion of fat and calories, and gradually paves the way for weight gain, and thus obesity, which may expose people to the risks of various complications, as the more fast food consumption, the less likely it is to obtain the basic nutrients that depend on it. The body, which may harm health, as fast food can have a number of negative effects, including the possibility of developing type 2 diabetes.
Professor Khoja stressed the need to reduce the intake of fast foods among children, and the complete conviction that a lot of them is very harmful and causes many negative effects on the body, and urged them to exercise, stressing the importance of eating fruits, vegetables and fresh juices and drinking water to give the body enough to enhance the work of the device digestive system and body cells.
Family and Community Medicine Consultant, Dr. Khaled Bawaked, considered obesity among children as one of the most important problems that result in other comorbidities that threaten the health of the child, as obesity constitutes the most prominent health challenges facing societies, in addition to the resulting psychological, social, physical and economic repercussions.
Bawaked pointed out that there are many factors behind the prevalence of obesity among children, most notably the dietary pattern, lack of activity and movement, psychological and environmental factors, endocrine disruption, genetics, in addition to obesity genes.
He warned of the spread of obesity among children more than the current rates in the absence of health awareness, despite the great efforts being made through national campaigns, lectures and seminars that advocate and warn against the expansion of obesity, so the role of the family remains important in avoiding everything that harms and threatens his health.
