Diabetes in Children Increases Risk of Kidney Problems

Filed in archive Developments , Diet , Lifestyle , Notable , Research on December 28, 2007

In a separate post, it was suggested that kidney disease caused by diabetes can be fatal.




Now, a recent study found that children and teens diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are five times more likely to develop kidney disease later in life than those who develop diabetes as adults.

According to study author Dr. Robert G. Nelson, a staff clinician with the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK):

"Since the development of diabetic kidney disease is strongly dependent on the duration of diabetes, developing diabetes in youth leads to a high risk of kidney disease in early- to mid-adulthood.

For example, a 15-year-old person with 10 years of type 2 diabetes has the same risk of kidney disease as a 55-year-old with 10 years of type 2 diabetes."

Current statistics will dismay us of the steadily increasing rates of type 2 diabetes in young people. Thus, being able to delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in kids and teens will sot of preserve their kidneys.

Bottom line: parents and doctors should team up to give young children and rather healthy diet and active lifestyle. Prevent obesity, prevent type 2 diabetes in these kids. Oncethe kidneys are compromised, our health (and mortality!) is compromised.

Find more details from The Washington Post.