Why diabetes is a growing problem among children in India

Diabetes has become a common condition around the world. Especially since COVID-19, there has been an unusual rise in the number of children and teenagers around the world diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, researchers believe. According to a recent study that was published in the journal JAMA Network, India topped the list of countries with the most cases and fatalities from childhood diabetes in 2019. The highest disability-adjusted life years (DALY) are also found in the country. A DALY, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), is the loss of one year of full health. Even though India is already known as the diabetes capital of the world, the rise in the prevalence of this non-communicable disease (NCD) is cause for concern. Let’s take a closer look. Also read: 101 million Indians are likely diabetic: Why the silent-killing disease is on an alarming rise What does the study say? 2019 had 227,580 new cases of childhood diabetes globally, along with 5,390 fatalities and 519,117 DALYs. According to the report, this indicates a 39.4 per cent rise in incident cases since 1990. The researchers wrote in the study, “There is an urgent need for health care professionals to develop more cost-effective and targeted strategies that can mitigate childhood diabetes-associated morbidity and mortality, reduce the socioeconomic burden, and avoid the corresponding risks." Using data from the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD), 2019 in 204 countries and territories, experts examined trends in diabetes incidence, diabetes-associated mortality, and DALYs in children from 1990 to 2019. They also included mortality risk variables. 1,449,897 children were included in the analysis, 738,923 boys and 710,974 girls. The socioeconomic index (SDI), which has a scale from 0 to 1 and is used to classify countries, was used by the researchers to investigate the relationship between the prevalence of childhood diabetes and socioeconomic development. They were divided into four categories: low, low-medium, medium, and high. According to the study, children between 10 to 14 years saw the most increase in instances (52.06 per cent), while infants between one and four years saw the smallest increase (30.52 per cent). In India, the incidence rate was 10.92 in 1990 and 11.68 in 2019. The United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define the incidence rate as the rate at which a disease spreads among a population. [caption id=“attachment_12829362” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Even though India is already known as the diabetes capital of the world, the rise in the prevalence of this non-communicable disease (NCD) is cause for concern. Pixabay[/caption] Moreover, the number of children worldwide who died from diabetes-related causes decreased by 20 per cent from 6,719 in 1990 to 5,390 in 2019. In a similar vein, the death rate from diabetes fell from 0.38 per 100,000 in 1990 to 0.28 per 100,000 in 2019. This is in contrast to the above-mentioned figures. The high-middle SDI region had the highest incidence of diabetes in 2019, with 55,496 cases, while the low-middle SDI region experienced the most growth, as per the study. With 2,367 fatal cases and the greatest number of diabetes-associated DALYs — a remarkable rise of 59.92 per cent from 1990 to 2019—the poor SDI region had the highest number of diabetes-related deaths in 2019. Additionally, the region with the lowest SDI recorded the greatest number of DALYs related to diabetes, up 59.92 per cent from 1990 to 2019. “Countries in the high SDI region like Monaco have a low diabetes disease burden and the lowest diabetes-associated mortality rate, whereas countries in the low SDI region like India have a high diabetes disease burden and high diabetes incidence,” the researchers wrote. Also read: Weight Loss Hack: What is Ozempic, a diabetes drug, that has gone viral on social media? Which region shares the highest burden of childhood diabetes? In 2019, South Asia had the highest burden of cases of childhood diabetes, deaths related to childhood diabetes, and DALYs linked to childhood diabetes. Environmental and occupational risks were among the risk factors that contributed to six per cent of deaths in children with diabetes in 2019. This number is comparable at less-than-ideal temperatures as well. Three per cent of mortality related to childhood diabetes in 2019 was brought on by extreme heat or cold. Down to Earth report cited a 2017 study published in the National Library of Medicine found that diabetics are more at risk from low and high temperatures. Has COVID-19 contributed to the increase? The findings revealed that compared to before the Covid pandemic, the incidence rate of Type 1 diabetes was 1.14 times higher in the first year and 1.27 times higher in the second year. Type 1 diabetes among children was already on the rise prior to the pandemic, rising by around three per cent annually. [caption id=“attachment_12829322” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas makes little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone the body uses to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy. Pixabay[/caption] Scientists note that while some of the increase could be attributable to catch-up from backlogs and delays caused by the closure of health facilities, this does not account for all of the newly identified cases. There was also an increase in type 2 diabetes incidence among kids and teenagers. For many years, type 1 diabetes was typically considered to be paediatric diabetes. Due to the global epidemic of youth obesity, type 2 diabetes is becoming more common in youngsters. Sedentary behaviour and poor lifestyle choices, particularly obesity, may have contributed to the increase. Also read: Diabetes can have adverse effect on kidneys Why the cases are rising? Although there are various possibilities, experts say it is unknown what has caused the increase in instances. According to BBC, one theory says that some children’s reactions to COVID-19 may enhance their likelihood of developing diabetes. However, not all of the research looking for this kind of autoimmune reaction, where the body begins to target some of its own healthy cells, has discovered evidence to support this theory. Another theory is that some microbes can protect against a variety of diseases, including diabetes if they are exposed to children. According to some experts, lockdowns and social isolation during Covid may have prevented many kids from being exposed to enough germs and deprived them of this extra layer of defence. Rahul Baxi, a consultant diabetologist at Bombay Hospital, told the _BBC, “_Changing lifestyles, improved standards of living, migration to cities, erratic working hours, sedentary habits, stress, pollution, change in food habits and easy availability of fast food are some of the reasons why diabetes is rising in India.” Dr David Robbins, an endocrinologist and director of the Cray Diabetes Self-Management Center at the University of Kansas Health System, told Healthline, “There is some evidence that environmental factors trigger type 1 diabetes, especially among those that carry certain genes. These factors include the early introduction of cow’s milk, short duration of breastfeeding, and perhaps even pollution." According to The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, the number of type 1 diabetes cases will increase in all countries by 2040. Also read: From blurry vision to extreme hunger: The lesser-known symptoms of diabetes What is type 1 diabetes? According to Mayo Clinic, in type 1 diabetes, the pancreas makes little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone the body uses to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy. Because their bodies cannot do this automatically, people with the illness must closely monitor and use insulin to control their blood sugar levels. Both children and adults can get it, but the causes are not entirely understood, and there is presently no treatment. Policy Director at type 1 diabetes charity JDRFUK Hilary Nathan, told BBC, “This research reflects a life-changing reality for so many families here in the UK.” Nathan asked people to be alert for the four Ts, which stand for exhaustion, thirst, needing to use the potty more frequently, and weight loss or becoming increasingly thin. “Knowing these signs and getting an early diagnosis and swift treatment can be life-saving,” she said. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News,  Trending News,  Cricket News,  Bollywood News, India News and  Entertainment News here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.