Diabesity: The New Childhood Epidemic

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The New Childhood Epidemic: Diabesity
Only grown-ups used to get type 2 diabetes. Now one in three American kids is developing it.
by Julie Evans, Prevention magazine

Smart and funny, 13-year-old Jay Reilly is a computer whiz who loves submarine sandwiches and is devoted to the online strategy game StarCraft. "I can play for 3 to 4 hours at a time," he says. But last spring, while Jay was busy navigating real life in the seventh grade, a strange lethargy overtook him.

He could barely stay awake in class at his Shrewsbury, MA, middle school. He couldn't keep his eyes open long enough to finish his homework at night. Normally an A student, Jay's grades began to slip. He forgot everyday things. He got moody.

Teen angst? His parents didn't think so. They took him to the family doctor, where a blood check hinted at an unexpected diagnosis: early diabetes. And further testing confirmed it: With dangerously high blood sugar and insulin levels, Jay was on the verge of developing type 2 diabetes. His cholesterol was also a high 218.

"We thought type 2 diabetes was an adult disease," says Kathryn, his mom. "Jay is adopted, and we had no medical history. We knew it could be an issue down the road, but we never imagined he'd have to face diabetes as a young teenager." In Jay's future might be daily medication, maybe even insulin injections. If he developed full-blown diabetes, he'd also have to prick his finger several times a day to test his blood-sugar level, watch every bite he ate, and face the prospect of horrific complications in years to come, from blindness to kidney failure to heart attack.

Looking back, his parents and doctor realized Jay had all the signs of impending diabetes: He was overweight, carried excess pounds around his middle, and was physically inactive. Jay's Korean heritage further raised his risk. In addition, he had another warning signal found in children headed for diabetes: He had strange patches of brownish-black, velvety skin under his arms, a condition called acanthosis nigricans. "He wouldn't take his shirt off on vacation," Kathryn says. "When he did, we were shocked to see the dark skin and wondered if he had been washing." This is a signal of higher-than-normal insulin and means that the metabolic breakdown leading to diabetes is underway.

"We'd caught it in time; now we had to do something," Kathryn says. And so the Reilly family mobilized. Jay enrolled in a program for prediabetic kids, the Optimal Weight for Life (OWL) Clinic, at Children's Hospital in Boston. A doctor gave him 2 months to lose weight and lower his blood sugar, insulin, and cholesterol levels through diet and exercise. If he failed, he'd need diabetes drugs, blood-sugar checks, and a tightly controlled dietno fun for a teenager.

"I gave up junk food, fried food, soda, even sugary juices and starchy foods such as pastas, potatoes, and breads," says Jay, who is articulate beyond his years. "I filled up on vegetables, broiled chicken, and some fruit. It wasn't very easy at first." He switched off his computer, PlayStation, and favorite Disney Channel shows. "I swam at my friend's pool. I jumped on the trampoline. And I rode my scooter and my bike," he says. "One of my friends became my personal trainer, motivating me to get out and do stuff. And my friends would say, 'Come on, let's go outside.' They were helping me get healthier."

Two months later, Jay was back at the OWL Clinic to hear good news: He'd lost 15 pounds and significantly lowered his cholesterol and insulin levels. His blood sugar had returned to normal. After another few months, Jay's cholesterol dropped to 171 and his blood sugar to 64. "If I can get rid of the risk of diabetes forever," Jay says, "then all the work is worth it."

Learn more about childhood diabesity on Prevention.com:

* The New Childhood Epidemic

http://health.msn.com/centers/diabet...18689&GT1=7800