PT Health Watch: Poor diet, inactivity raising diabetes risk among Nigerian children

Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how the body processes blood sugar (glucose), a key source of energy. Although often associated with adults, medical experts say children can also develop the condition, sometimes with serious health consequences if it is not detected early.

Childhood diabetes occurs when the body either produces little or no insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.

According to the International Diabetes Federation, about 1.8 million children and adolescents under the age of 20 are living with Type 1 diabetes globally. The organisation notes that thousands of new cases are diagnosed every year, highlighting the growing burden of childhood diabetes.

Research from a tertiary hospital in Sokoto reported children presenting with symptoms such as excessive urination, thirst and weight loss, sometimes after several weeks of illness.

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Speaking with PT Health Watch, Oluwakemi Ashubu, a paediatric endocrinologist at University College Hospital, Ibadan, says lifestyle changes, including unhealthy diets and reduced physical activity, contribute to rising cases of diabetes among children and adolescents.

These factors, combined with genetic risks, are increasing concerns about childhood diabetes and its long-term health consequences.

Ms Ashubu noted that many parents do not realise that children can develop diabetes, contributing to the misconception that the condition is uncommon.

Types of childhood diabetes

Ms Ashubu explained that four types of diabetes can occur in children, including Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY), and Neonatal diabetes.

She noted that the commonest type of diabetes in children is Type 1, while adding that Type 2, once considered rare in children, is also becoming common as a result of lifestyle choices.

She explained that Type 1 is an autoimmune condition in which the body mistakenly attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.

“It is caused by the immune system unintentionally attacking and destroying insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As a result, the body produces little or no insulin, leading to high blood glucose levels,” she said.

She added that Type 2, on the other hand, occurs when the body’s cells do not respond properly to insulin.

Ms Ashubu explained that this could be driven by factors like obesity, physical inactivity, and genetic factors.

She further said that Type 2 usually affects adolescents, particularly during puberty, and is linked to family history, unhealthy diets high in sugar and processed foods, and excess weight.

MODY, she said, is a rare inherited form of diabetes caused by a single gene mutation and is often mistaken for Type 1 or Type 2. She added that neonatal diabetes occurs within the first six months of life and is usually genetic.

Early warning signs

Ms Ashubu advised parents to look out for what she described as the “four Ts of Diabetes,” which are Toilet (excessive urination); Thirsty (excessive drinking of water); Tired (unusual fatigue) and Thinner (weight loss despite adequate or increased food intake)

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She said children who were previously toilet-trained may start bedwetting again, while also noting that persistent tiredness may affect academic performance, with some children sleeping excessively in school.

Treatment options

Ms Ashubu explained that if not properly treated, diabetes in children can result in serious short-term and long-term complications. Short-term emergencies include hyperglycaemia, where blood sugar becomes dangerously high.

“They can come in as an emergency with excessive blood glucose because they have not used their medications appropriately,” she said.

Hypoglycaemia, or very low blood sugar, may occur if a child skips meals or takes too much medication, and can lead to unconsciousness.

Long-term complications may affect multiple organs. These include diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to vision loss; diabetic nephropathy, which affects the kidneys and may present with hypertension; and diabetic neuropathy, which causes pain and numbness.

Other possible complications include stroke, heart failure and peripheral vascular disease, which in severe cases may result in amputation.