Expert Warns of Increasing Diabetes Risk in Nigerian Children Due to Poor Diet and Inactivity

Diabetes is a chronic disease that influences how the body processes blood sugar (glucose), a vital energy source. While often linked with adults, healthcare professionals emphasize that children can also acquire this condition, which can have severe consequences if not identified in time.

Childhood diabetes arises when the body fails to produce sufficient insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it generates.

The International Diabetes Federation reports that approximately 1.8 million children and young people under 20 worldwide are living with Type 1 diabetes. The organization points out that a significant number of new cases are reported annually, underscoring the escalating issue of childhood diabetes.

Research from a prominent hospital in Sokoto has documented children presenting symptoms like frequent urination, excessive thirst, and weight loss, occasionally after enduring weeks of illness.

In a discussion with PT Health Watch, Oluwakemi Ashubu, a pediatric endocrinologist at University College Hospital in Ibadan, indicated that factors such as unhealthy eating patterns and a decrease in physical activity are leading to a rise in diabetes cases among young people.

These lifestyle changes, coupled with genetic predispositions, amplify concerns regarding childhood diabetes and its long-term health ramifications.

Ms. Ashubu noted that many parents remain oblivious to the fact that children can develop diabetes, perpetuating the false belief that the disease is uncommon in younger populations.

Types of Childhood Diabetes

According to Ms. Ashubu, there are four kinds of diabetes that can manifest in children: Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY), and neonatal diabetes. She pointed out that Type 1 diabetes is the most prevalent type among children. Additionally, while Type 2 diabetes was once rare in this demographic, it is becoming increasingly common due to lifestyle factors.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder wherein the body erroneously attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. “This occurs because the immune system mistakenly targets and annihilates the insulin- producing cells within the pancreas. This deficiency leads to elevated blood glucose levels,” she explained.

Conversely, Type 2 diabetes develops when the body’s cells do not respond effectively to insulin. Contributing elements include obesity, lack of physical activity, and genetic factors. Ms. Ashubu mentioned that Type 2 diabetes typically affects adolescents, especially during puberty, and is associated with family history, sugary and processed diets, and excessive weight.

She further described MODY as a rare inherited diabetes form caused by a single genetic mutation, often misidentified as either Type 1 or Type 2. Neonatal diabetes occurs within the first six months of life, usually due to genetic factors.

Early Warning Signs

Ms. Ashubu advises parents to watch for the “four Ts of Diabetes”: Toilet (frequent urination), Thirsty (intense thirst), Tired (unusual fatigue), and Thinner (weight loss despite adequate or increased food intake).

She mentioned that previously toilet-trained children might resume bedwetting and persistent fatigue may impact academic performance, with some kids excessively sleeping in class.

Treatment Options

Ms. Ashubu warned that untreated diabetes in children can lead to dire short- term and long-term complications. Immediate dangers include hyperglycemia, where blood sugar levels soar dangerously high. “Children can arrive at emergency services with critically high glucose levels due to improper medication use,” she stated.

Hypoglycemia, or critically low blood sugar, may result from children skipping meals or taking excessive medication, with potential to cause unconsciousness.

Long-term complications can compromise various organs and may manifest as diabetic retinopathy, leading to vision impairment; diabetic nephropathy, which affects the kidneys potentially resulting in hypertension; and diabetic neuropathy, causing discomfort and numbness.

Additional possible complications encompass stroke, heart failure, and peripheral vascular disease, which in serious instances, may necessitate amputation.