It’s a fact; if you are overweight you increase your chances of becoming a type 2 diabetic. Many men, women and children struggle with type 2 diabetes. More and more children are developing adult diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart and kidney disease. Type 2 diabetes in children used to be almost unheard of. Diabetic children are more likely to be juvenile diabetics with type 1 diabetes. However, when children become overweight and don’t get enough physical activity they are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes which used to be more common to overweight adults age 40 and over.
No one actually knows what causes type 2 diabetes, but we do know that obesity and certain environmental factors increase your risks of developing this insidious disease.
The CDC in Atlanta states on their website:
“25.8 million people in the United States (8.3% of the population) have diabetes. Of these, 7.0 million have undiagnosed diabetes.”
It’s important for a family’s health to eat responsibly and get moving. This means to put down the video games, get away from the computer, and put the TV remote down and get up and move your body. Even small changes in lifestyle can make a big difference in your family’s health. As parents, we need to set the example for our kids. They will often do what they see their parents do. If the parents are overweight couch potatoes, the kids are likely to follow suit.
If you are diabetic or you and the members of your family are at risk for diabetes type 2, ask your doctor about lifestyle changes that you can make to manage or prevent diabetes in your family. You don’t have to say goodbye to all your favorite foods, but it will help to make better food choices consistently. Small changes in your lifestyle can make a big difference in your health.
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