Can poor nutrition be a cause of Type 1 and 2 diabetes in children?

By Marsha N. Woolery, Healthy Eating & Diet

Over the past two decades, there has been an increase in the number of children in Jamaica with diabetes.

Originally, children with diabetes were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease that cannot be prevented and only treated with insulin injections, diet and exercise.

As the epidemic of childhood obesity increases, there is a marked increase in the number of children being diagnosed with diabetes. This type of diabetes is called Type 2 diabetes and is preventable.

Could this increase in diabetes be as a result of poor nutrition? According to world renowned Diabetes Researcher and Endocrinologist, Professor Errol Morrison, "Type 1 diabetes is in one aspect an autoimmune disease, but can result from simple infections such as measles and mumps. Being overweight from diet and physical inactivity can help precipitate an insulin requiring diabetes picture, which can fall in the Type 1 category."

Prof Morrison also stated that, "the picture of diabetes in children becomes more complex when poor nutrition exists, as nutritional deficiency will predispose to the development of Type 1 diabetes."

The risk factors for the development of diabetes in children are:

Being overweight or obese - When there is too much fat around the cells, the insulin is not able to enter the cells with the glucose (sugar) to give energy. This is called insulin resistance. The pancreas may be making enough insulin, but the fat around the cells is preventing the insulin with the glucose from entering the cells, so blood sugar increases (hyperglycemia).

Family history or heredity - Diabetes is a condition that is most times passed on from generation to generation.

Inappropriate food intake - Consuming high fat, high sugar, low fibre, and refined foods. A diet with small amounts of fresh whole fruits, vegetables, peas, beans, whole grains, and nuts.

Physical inactivity - A lack of, or limited physical activity, which is very prevalent in today's society, where children are not allowed to 'run up and down' as we did as children before the 1990s. Most children stay indoors, for whatever reasons, and play video games, surf the internet and play board games. These activities do not allow children to use up energy, so it is stored and weight gain occurs.

Exposure to childhood diseases such as measles and mumps.

The development of diabetes in children, depending on the cause, may be delayed or prevented in the following ways:

Breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of the infant's life.

Offering the appropriate foods from the family pot in the correct amounts, starting at the beginning of the seventh month of the infant's life. Offering foods from the family pot before seven months may cause excess fat to be stored and result in childhood obesity.

Offering meals and snacks that are low in fat, concentrated sweets/sugars and high in fibre and vitamins and minerals. Children, teenagers and young adults should eat a variety of foods from all six Caribbean food groups.

Allowing children to be more physically active.

Reducing the risk of exposure to childhood diseases.

We all have an important role to play in making the next generation healthier and more productive. Check the blood sugar of children!

Marsha N. Woolery, RD, is a registered dietitian/nutritionist at Fairview Medical and Dental Center, Montego Bay, and adjunct lecturer at Northern Caribbean University; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com