Schools Fight Back Against Type 2 Diabetes

Filed in archive Education on December 6, 2006

For Type 2 diabetes, prevention is key. With so many children developing the disease at shockingly early ages, perhaps it's no surprise that a place known for knowledge is stepping in: school.

diabetes prevention programs are popping up in schools all over the world, offering education on topics ranging from healthy eating to the importance of exercise. Studies such as the HEALTHY study are gaining support:

When the schools across the country opened this fall, hundreds of sixth graders in 42 middle schools took part in the HEALTHY study by the National Institutes of Health. This study will take a look to see if changing school food services and physical education classes, along with activities that encourage healthy behaviors, will lower risk factors of Type 2 diabetes, an increasingly common disease in youth.

"The alarming rise in obesity and Type 2 diabetes in all age groups poses a major health crisis for this country," said NIH Director Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni. "This study is one component of a multi-faceted research agenda to address this dual epidemic, which threatens the health of our youth and the vitality of our health care system."

Although the most effective education begins at home, it's nice to see schools taking a proactive stance in the diabetes epidemic.

(Photo Source: FSMN)