A new study published in JAMA Network journal has revealed that India witnessed the highest number of childhood diabetes cases and deaths globally in the year 2019. The study highlighted that India also has the highest number of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), which refers to the loss of one year of full health, according to the World Health Organisation. There has been a 39.4% increase in childhood diabetes cases since 1990, with 2,27,580 cases and 5,390 deaths recorded in 2019. Type 2 diabetes in children is on the rise and is linked to poor lifestyle choices, global childhood obesity and parental history of diabetes. Childhood diabetes is a condition where the child’s body cannot produce or use insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps move sugar from the blood into cells for energy. There are two main types of childhood diabetes: type 1 and type 2.
Type 1 diabetes
- T1D is a long-term condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin, a hormone needed to control blood sugar levels. This type of diabetes usually occurs in children and young adults, although it can occur in people of any age.
- According to the International Diabetes Federation Atlas 2021 data, India has the highest number of children and adolescents with Type I Diabetes Mellitus (TIDM) at 2.4 lakh in the South-East Asia region, which is the highest in the world.
- It is an autoimmune disease, which means that the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The exact cause of the condition is not known, but genetic and environmental factors are believed to be responsible for the disease.
Remedy
- Type 1 diabetes usually requires insulin injections or an insulin pump to manage blood sugar levels.
Complications in children
- Complications of type 1 diabetes in children include hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), ketoacidosis (a potentially life-threatening condition when the body breaks down fat for energy instead of glucose), as well as long-term complications. Such as eye, kidney, nerve and heart related damage may be involved.
Type 2 diabetes
- This affects the way insulin is used by the body, while the body continues to produce insulin.
- Type 2 diabetes can occur at any age, even in childhood. However, this type of diabetes often occurs in middle-aged and older people.
Gestational diabetes
- This diabetes occurs in women during pregnancy when the body sometimes becomes less sensitive to insulin. Gestational diabetes does not occur in all women and usually resolves after delivery.
Diabetes Burden
- According to the study, India faced the highest number of childhood diabetes cases and deaths in 2019.
- This statistic emphasizes the pressing need to address the prevention, management, and treatment of diabetes among children in the country.
- By understanding the factors contributing to this burden, healthcare professionals and policymakers can devise targeted strategies to mitigate the associated morbidity and mortality.