Diabetes on the increase among children
Jane Nafula & Evelyn Lirri
Kampala
That sumptuous plate of chicken and chips, or sleeping on the couch all day
watching TV could kill you. This is the message that the Ministry of Health is
sending out to the public as Uganda marks the World Diabetes Day today.
In a country where there is a growing shift to a lifestyle characterised by
eating lots of fatty foods and little or no play at all, many people are
becoming prone to diabetes – a disorder that affects the way the body uses food
and energy. It has no cure.
Now, the Health Ministry is warning that children are increasingly contracting
Type 2 diabetes, which is most common among adults.
“Type 2 diabetes is the commonest form of diabetes and is most prevalent among
the older population. However, it is becoming increasingly common in children,
mainly due to lifestyle factors that increase obesity levels, poor diet and
lack of exercise,” said the head of the Non Communicable Diseases Department in
the Health Ministry, Dr James Sekajugo.
“Children are driven to school, picked in the evening, they are over fed on
chips and chicken, ice cream, and they hardly walk home or do exercise. They in
turn become obese, one of the major risk factors for diabetes,” added Dr
Sekajugo.
DANGEROUS DELICACY: Children like such foods not knowing they are dangerous in
the long run.
He says although there are no specific national figures indicating the number
of children or adults suffering from the diabetes today, it is estimated that
over one million Ugandans are suffering from the disease.
In 1972, only 254 African diabetic subjects were registered in Mulago Hospital
diabetic clinic Statistics indicate that the hospital alone handles over 300
diabetics weekly.
Diabetes is a chronic health condition where the body is unable to produce
insulin and properly break down sugar (glucose) in the blood leading to
increasing sugar levels in the body.
There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes (previously called
insulin dependent diabetes) and Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent).
Type 1 diabetes is commonest in people under 30 years and may appear in early
childhood. Type 1 diabetes must be treated with insulin injections.
In people with Type 2 diabetes, the body is able to produce insulin (sometimes
it is overproduced) but is unable to use it properly. Type 2 diabetes can be
controlled with a proper diet and medication.
Dr Sekajugo said fatty and fried foods that are commonly consumed today are
very rich in fat, carbohydrates and proteins, which tend to increase body
weight.
He explained that a lot of weight constrains the pancreas from secreting
insulin needed to reduce sugar levels in the body, which results into diabetes.
According to Dr Sekajugo, high sugar levels in blood can damage many parts of
the body, including the kidneys, heart, eyes and blood vessels that bring
oxygen to the nerves, resulting in death if a patient does not seek early
treatment.
Some of the symptoms that a child suffering from diabetes may present include
recurrent skin infections, feeling thirsty and drinking a lot, weight loss and
passing large volumes of urine.
The general symptoms of diabetes include hunger, excessive thirst, excessive
urination, dehydration and weight loss.
Dr Sekajugo says priority should be given to screening of children for diabetes
and also providing treatment for those who are diabetic. “We have been
concentrating on screening and treating adults because children are assumed to
be free from the disease,” he said.
World Diabetes Day is marked on November 14. The theme for this year’s event,
to be marked in Gulu District, is “Diabetes in children and adolescents”.
Dr Sekajugo explained that apart from improper diet and natural causes,
excessive smoking and alcohol consumption can also expose a person to diabetes.
The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Diabetes Foundation is
currently piloting a project aimed at improving access to quality diabetes
care. The project is being piloted in the districts of Arua, Kabale, Wakiso and
Amuria
Presently, there is no cure for diabetes, which is considered a global health
threat.
But in September 2008, Kampala Pharmaceutical Company in joint partnership with
the Uganda Diabetes Association launched a new anti diabetic drug, Formin which
is effective in management of Type 2 diabetes, which also accounts for 80
percent of all diabetes cases.
Dr Sekajugo advises people to have proper diet, do exercise, and avoid smoking
as well as excessive consumption of alcohol. “Exercise can lower blood sugar
levels because the body uses sugar to fuel activity,” he said. “People should
take fresh fruits, vegetables, do physical exercise, and eat food with less
fat.”
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