The Obesity Epidemic and Juvenile Diabetes

In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in the number of people with type 1 diabetes who are also obese. Even though obesity has been strongly linked to the pathogenesis as well as initiation of type 2 diabetes and a risk factor for complications, very little is known about its role in the development and progression of type 1 diabetes.

Recent studies suggest that obesity plays a role in the development of cardiometabolic complications, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance in type 1 diabetes.

These co-morbidities may require to be addressed using therapeutic strategies in the context of insulin therapy which has been shown to promote weight gain. Therefore, there’s an urgent need for guidelines for the management as well as prevention of type 1 diabetes.

These clinical recommendations are being developed using a trans-disciplinary research approach addressing molecular mechanisms, metabolism, neuropsychology, novel therapeutics, and lifestyle.

Can diabetes lead to obesityWhat is the relationship between obesity and juvenile diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes, which is also known as juvenile diabetes, is a chronic immune-mediated condition that is characterized by the loss of beta cells in susceptible subjects.

Beta cells are mainly responsible for producing insulin in the pancreas. The main genes contributing to juvenile diabetes susceptibility are located in the HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) class 2 locus on chromosome 6.

The Human Leukocyte Antigen genes have been linked to about 50% of the familial clustering of juvenile diabetes.

Obesity and overweight are related to type 1 diabetes in various aspects. In addition to being a risk factor for juvenile diabetes, obesity can also be a challenge when it comes to managing and treating the disease.

Moreover, obesity and overweight increase the risk of micro and macro-vascular complications in juvenile diabetes. Such challenges typically arise in adolescence and may become even more common in adults.

Essential points

  • Obesity has been known to be a predisposing factor and concurrent phenotype for type 2 diabetes. However, its physiological attributes, consequences, and prevalence in juvenile diabetes are poorly understood.
  • As the prevalence of type 1 diabetes increases in the United States and many other parts across the globe, it is important to develop specific guidelines for the treatment and prevention of obesity and the achievement and maintenance of optimal glycemic control in type 1 diabetes.
  • The characteristics and role of energy balance in juvenile diabetes are not completely defined and are likely to be affected by both medical therapy and glycemic control.
  • Studies show that potential driving mechanisms of obesity in juvenile diabetes include microbiome, epigenetics, genetics, enteroendocrine hormones, and effects on various organs, organelles, cells, and tissues.
  • Developing well-defined weight management approaches in people with juvenile diabetes requires a multi-disciplinary research strategy that includes expertise in endocrinology, epidemiology, translational metabolism, exercise physiology, clinical psychology, nutrition, advanced analytics, and mathematical modeling.

The impact of obesity and overweight on juvenile diabetesDiabetes bracelet

It is evident that more studies need to be conducted to understand the role of the whole activity spectrum which includes sedentary behavior, sleep, and physical activity on youth with type 1 diabetes who are obese or overweight.

For example, although research clearly shows that fear of hypoglycemia can be a barrier to engaging in physical activity, its effects can be compounded for young adults who are obese or overweight and have a negative activity toward exercise.Juvenile diabetes bracelet

  • Sedentary lifestyle

Youth with type 1 diabetes may also be predisposed to weight gain as a result of supplementing carbohydrates to avoid hypoglycemic events as a result of physical activity. Addressing the role of sedentary behavior, especially reducing screen time, is one intervention strategy that can help expend calories without affecting variability in blood sugar levels.

  • Poor sleep quality

Obesity and overweight may have negative effects on sleep, especially in youth with type 1 diabetes. A 2006 study on adolescents and children revealed that sleep duration has an inverse relationship with obesity in youth, and being overweight increases the risk of a wide range of sleep problems.

Studies show that variations in blood sugar and nocturnal hypoglycemia alter sleep patterns in young adults with type 1 diabetes and thus they face a higher risk for obesity and poor sleep quality than those without diabetes.

Diabetes educators and nurses play a very important role in helping children and adolescents develop appropriate lifestyle behaviors to tackle the prevalent issue of obesity and overweight in youth with type 1 diabetes.

Although clinical care in juvenile diabetes has focused more on accurate carbohydrate counting and good metabolic control, weight control has been grossly overlooked.

Caregivers and healthcare professionals have paid less attention to issues related to sedentary behavior, sleep, and physical activity.

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The bottom line

Given the high incidence of obesity and overweight in children and youth with type 1 diabetes, additional studies are needed to explore the consequences and antecedents of excessive weight in type 1 diabetes.

Although this article has identified viable lifestyle modifications for weight management including sedentary behavior, sleep, and physical activity, there’s a need for further research to inform effective intervention strategies for this vulnerable population.

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obesity and juvenile diabetes

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Blood Sugar Values

When it comes to having diabetes, a diabetic patient must know their blood sugar values in order to live a long and healthy life. Diabetes is a very serious condition for all people ages.

Diabetes condition is a very serious disease that is currently taking over our nation and the entire world by storm. Today’s sugar filled junk foods and the ability for diabetics to live longer lives and reproduce is only fuel to the already massive diabetic epidemic.

blood sugar valuesDiabetes is a serious condition where the person’s body is failing to get the required amounts of hormone called insulin. This absolutely necessary chemical/hormone called insulin is produced by the pancreas organ. For some unknown reasons to medicine the pancreas organ will stop or slow in the mass production of this vital chemical. This chemical hormone is used by the body to transform the blood sugar glucose in the bloodstream into a fuel that the cells are able to use for cell fuel.

Without the proper amounts of this necessary sugar bonding component the blood glucose levels in the blood begin to rise to high levels. Once they reach a certain high sugar level the diabetics’ body begins to suffer major cell damage. The serious cell damage mostly happens with the high blood sugar levels is nervous cell damage, heart cell damage, kidney cell damage, and eye cell damages. But this can all be avoided if the diabetic patient can change their high blood sugar level and keep it at that lower sugar level.

Is there a certain normal blood sugar value? A normal blood sugar value is anywhere in the range of 80mg and 140 mg. If anything falls above 140 mg then a diabetic is considered to have high blood glucose or hypertension and if their readings fall below 80 mg then a person is considered to have hypotension.

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Information on type II diabetes

Information On Type II DiabetesWhere can you get information on type II diabetes? Diabetes is a very serious disease. This disease affects over 28 million in the United States alone. The rest of the world is just as plagued. This disease is permanent and can be very life threatening to the body.

Diabetes is where the body is producing small or none of vital chemical called insulin. The pancreas is responsible for the production of this vital chemical.

The insulin chemical is used by the body as a sugar bonding agent. The chemical must bond with the body’s blood sugar before the body’s cell is able to use the fuel. Without it the sugar levels rise and begin to damage the body’s organ systems. Type II diabetes is where the person has had a high blood sugar level for so long that their body has suffered damage and is no longer creating enough of this vital chemical.

However with this type the body is still producing enough that the body does not need insulin injections. The damage with the diabetes is damage to major cells. The cells most commonly damaged by the diabetes are the heart cells, the kidney cells, the eye cells, and the nerve cells. All of these damages are permanent and will not be notice by the diabetic till years later in their lives. So what are information on type II diabetes?

Information for type II diabetes include proper diet, exercise and blood glucose monitoring. Exercise stimulates insulin production for the body while improving your overall health. However the body should not exercise until told to by your doctor. Diet is important because you monitor what kinds of food you’re taking in and how much food your taking into your body. Glucose monitoring is important so that your blood levels stay at the level you want they and if they are above the level you can do things to drop it. So talk to your doctor about information for type II diabetes.

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Continuous blood glucose monitoring

continuous blood glucose monitoring

Continuous Blood Glucose monitoring helps people with diabetes manage the disease and avoid its associated problems. A person can use the results of glucose monitoring to make decisions about food, physical activity, and medications. The most common way to check glucose levels involves pricking a fingertip with an automatic lancing device to obtain a blood sample and then using a glucose meter to measure the blood sample’s glucose level.

Continuous blood glucose monitoring (CGM) systems use a tiny sensor inserted under the skin to check glucose levels in tissue fluid. The sensor stays in place for several days to a week and then must be replaced. A transmitter sends information about glucose levels via radio waves from the sensor to a pager like wireless monitor. The user must check blood samples with a glucose meter to program the devices.

Continuous blood glucose monitoring systems are more expensive than conventional glucose monitoring, but they may enable better glucose control. Users can set alarms to alert them when glucose levels are too low or too high. Special software is available to download data from the devices to a computer for tracking and analysis of patterns and trends, and the systems can display trend graphs on the monitor screen.

Some of the key factors to remember when it comes to diabetes and properly maintaining them is that Glucose monitoring helps people with diabetes manage the disease and avoid its associated problems. The most common way to check glucose levels involves pricking a fingertip to obtain a blood sample and using a glucose meter to measure the glucose level in the sample. Continuous blood glucose monitoring (CGM) systems use a tiny sensor inserted under the skin to check glucose levels in tissue fluid. A transmitter sends glucose measurements to a wireless monitor.

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Diabetic Diet Menu Sample

diabetic diet menu sample
diabetic diet menu sample

What is a diabetic diet menu sample? For most diabetics eating right isn’t just a choice but also the most effective part of being able to live a long, healthy life. If a diabetic doesn’t eat right it can start meaning life and death for them.

Diabetes is not a disease that can spread such as the flu or the common cold, but is a disease that is taking our nation by storm. Today more and more people are having to keep check on their diabetes so that they can safely manage their blood glucose levels and also make sure that they live a long, healthy and productive life at the same time. To a diabetic healthy foods with the right amounts of sugar can mean the same to their body as fuel to a car in order to go.

A healthy diabetic diet menu sample would look something like this..

Breakfast – Whole Wheat Bagel or Whole Wheat Toast with sugar free jelly, grits, deviled egg, hardboiled egg, cereal with 2% milk or peaches to name a few.

Snack – pretzels, peanuts, melba toast, popcorn or anything else that is low fat and doesn’t contain high amounts of sugar.

Lunch – sandwich meat, whole wheat bread, cucumbers, peaches, fresh fruit, cottage cheese, chicken, shrimp (not breaded) or anything with low sugar and low carbohydrates.

Supper – broiled fish, shrimp, tuna, chicken, steamed vegetables, cheese, protein such as beans

A diabetic sample menu can contain anything as long as you stay away from high carbohydrates and high sugar content. Avoid anything that is colored white. Breads, potatoes and rice are examples of this main rule. These foods are stuffed with complex sugar and will drive your blood sugar level to the sky. So talk to your doctor about a diabetic diet menu sample!

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