Diabetes in adolescents is more dangerous. how to prevent it?

Diabetes is not only experienced by people who are elderly. Teens or young people can also have diabetes. In fact, research shows that diabetes that occurs in adolescence is even more dangerous. Check out the facts below.

Why can biabetes in adolescents be more fatal?

A study by Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY), said that diabetes develops faster in adolescents compared to adults or the elderly. Type 2 diabetes in adolescents generally quickly causes complications such as heart and kidney diseases.

The findings, published in the special issue of Diabetes Care, basically show the bad effects that can occur in adolescents with diabetes, even though these teens have received optimal care and close monitoring from a team of diabetes experts.

The study, published in 2004, also involved young people with type 2 diabetes while testing the efficacy of various diabetes medications used. It was found that in participants with diabetes aged 10 to 17 years, the drug metformin was not effective in lowering their blood sugar levels.

It should be noted that metformin is a drug that is usually used as the main treatment for type 2 diabetes in adults. But unfortunately, metformin does not have a good effect on adolescents with diabetes.

Half of the adolescents taking the drug metformin were unable to stabilize their blood sugar to the normal target range, and eventually had to start taking insulin medications. This is an important reminder that diabetes experienced at a young age is more dangerous and difficult to treat.

What causes diabetes in adolescence?

Diabetes in adolescents may be caused by lifestyle and health problems. Factors such as genetics can increase the risk of adolescents developing diabetes, but many unhealthy lifestyles are the main problems that cause young people to end up having diabetes.

Factors that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in adolescents include:

Being overweight or obese
Live an unhealthy lifestyle such as smoking and like to drink alcoholic beverages
Like to consume sweet intake and fast food
Have a family member with diabetes
Have a history of gestational diabetes
Have high cholesterol levels
Diagnosed with prediabetes

Having a diagnosis of prediabetes does not mean you have type diabetes. This means that your blood sugar is high and above the normal limit, but not too high to be categorized as diabetes. If allowed to continue, you can get type 2 diabetes.

How to prevent diabetes in adolescents?

The development of type 2 diabetes in adolescence tends to be dangerous, so that it can lead to more serious complications. Examples include retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and cardiovascular disease.

Unfortunately, at times or when the body is productive, teenagers have to take drugs and limit their activities in order to control blood sugar so as not to excess. It is therefore important to take diabetes precautions in adolescents in the following ways:

1. Maintain ideal body weight

Obesity is one of the main factors that adolescents are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If you feel that you are overweight, you can reduce about 5-10% of your weight to reduce the risk. A calorie and low fat diet is highly recommended as the best way to lose weight and prevent diabetes.

2. Eat fruits and vegetables

By eating a variety of fruits and vegetables every day, you can reduce your risk of diabetes by up to 22%. This fact is taken according to the results of a study on diet for 12 years of 21,831 adults. The reduction in risk is directly related to how many fruits and vegetables you eat.

3. Replace sugar with sweeteners that are low in calories

A health data study of 43,960 women showed that women who drank 2 glasses or more of sweetened drinks a day (such as soda or fruit juice) had a 25-30% higher risk of developing diabetes than other people who did not. If necessary, you can use low-calorie sweeteners and contain chromium to improve insulin function in the body, thereby helping people with diabetes control blood sugar.

4. Active sports

To prevent diabetes in adolescents, try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day. This aims to maximize the achievement of weight loss targets and to reduce your risk of developing diabetes. In addition, exercising can also lower blood sugar levels and increase insulin levels in the body.