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How Diabetes is Taking Over


For the first time we are looking at rates of childhood type 2 diabetes rising greater than childhood type 1 diabetes. While type 1 diabetes is believed to be a result of genetic predisposition and environmental triggers, environmental triggers such as obesity and overweight are believed to be the main cause of type 2 onset.

According to a statement from the CDC “The reasons why we are seeing these different rates of increase are completely non genetic, are totally environmental, because the changes we are seeing are happening over 10 to 12 years and they can’t be explained by a change in the genetic pool of these populations. These are environmental factors.”

These findings are from a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine which shows a sharp increase in diabetes in young people and minorities.

Diabetes is a condition in which the body does not create enough insulin to control the body’s blood sugar levels. This lack of insulin can harm the body with diseases of the heart, kidneys, eyes and nervous system.

4.6 to 9.2 percent of pregnancies may be affected by gestational diabetes. In up to 10 percent of them, the mother is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes just after the pregnancy. The rest of these women have a 35 to 60 percent chance of developing type 2 diabetes within 10 to 20 years. This risk decreases if the woman leads an active lifestyle and maintains an ideal weight.

A child has a 1 in 7 chance of developing diabetes if one parent was diagnosed before age 50. If the parent was diagnosed after age 50, the child has a 1 in 13 chance. The child's risk may be greater if the mother has diabetes. If both parents have diabetes, the child's risk is about 50 percent.

Many risk factors for type 2 diabetes include lifestyle decisions that can be reduced or even cut out entirely with time and effort. With this knowledge we can stop these numbers from rising. Sticking to our Top Ten Healthy Habits is a great way to maintain a healthy lifestyle and stop diabetes from taking over the healthy of you and your family.

Here are some delicious low sugar recipes:

For a great dessert check out these tasty frozen yogurt drops:

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