BE
Healthy ™
Sponsored by
Boston Public Health Commission
VOL. 5 • NO. 2
© November 2010
Type 2 diabetes: More children at risk for “adult” disease
The hardest part of living with diabetes, Nahomi explains, is knowing that you’re not like other teenagers. “Your life has to be measured … and everything has to be accurate.” Nahomi Mendez (left) and Caroline Reyes, both 16, work out together at the Roxbury YMCA. Nahomi, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes three years ago, is followed by a nutritionist at Uphams Corner Health Center. (Ernesto Arroyo photo)
Nahomi Mendez loves to sing and dance and at one time participated on her school’s swim team. But three years ago her life changed. She recognized that she was heavy for her height, but “I had a lot of energy,” she recalled, “Everything seemed fine, when all of a sudden I kept itching.” The itch was not the only sign that something was wrong. Always thirsty, Nahomi said that she drank more than her usual share of water. Most telling was that she lost 40 pounds in three months — without even trying. For most, losing weight is a good thing. But Nahomi’s mother, Ylsia Mendez, a psychologist at an after-care program, was a bit suspicious. During her daughter’s annual physical, she asked the doctor to run a blood test for diabetes. Surprisingly, the reluctant doctor said, “You shouldn’t worry.”
The Disparities of Diabetes Incidence rates of type 2 diabetes among youth ages 15 to 19, 2002-2003 49.4 40
INCIDENCE RATES
30
The rate of type 2 diabetes in teens of color is three to nine times the rate of whites.
25
22.7 19.4
20
17.0 15 10
5.6 5 0 Whites
Hispanic
Black
Asian/ Pacific Islander
American Indian
RACE AND ETHNICITY
RATES ARE PER 100,000 PERSON-YEARS SOURCE: JAMA JUNE 27, 2007 VOL 297, NO.4
Fortunately, Mendez, who has type 2 diabetes, didn’t listen — she knew better. “No, no,” she told the doctor. “Please listen to me.” Mendez offered a carrot. “Look, you do what I want,” she told the doctor. “After that I’ll do whatever you say.” Mendez persevered and she was glad she did. A normal blood glucose reading after eating should typically not exceed 140; the test showed that Nahomi’s was over 700. She was immediately taken to the hospital. She stayed for a week. “I thought my daughter was going to die,” Mendez said. It wasn’t fun and games for Nahomi either. “I was crying,” she remembered. “... I didn’t know if I was ready for it.” It was type 2 diabetes, and Nahomi was just 13 years old. It wasn’t that long ago when the two most common types of diabetes were more clearly delineated. Type 1 occurred in the young, and type 2 in adults.
But those days have changed — and unfortunately, not for the better. Though still generally rare in children, type 2 diabetes is now on the rise in pre-adolescents and teens. One of the reasons for the rise is the nation’s weight problem. The National Diabetes Education Program, a partnership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, warns that the increased incidence of type 2 diabetes in children is a “first consequence” of the obesity epidemic among young people. And this is not good news for children of color. The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study Group, a population-based study to assess the prevalence of diabetes in youth under the age of 20, found that type 2 diabetes is more common in blacks, Hispanics, American Indians and Asian-American kids. American Indians are particularly hard hit. Gender is also a factor. According to SEARCH, rates are approximately 60 percent higher in females. One risk factor stands out — a child’s weight. Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of weight in relation to height. The BMI for children is plotted on growth charts and is age- andgender-specific. “Overweight” is defined as a BMI between the 85th and 94th percentile while “obesity” is a BMI at or above the 95th percentile. A recent study highlights the high prevalence of children at risk for type 2 diabetes. Funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the HEALTHY study showed that almost half of the participating sixth grade students had a BMI at the 85th percentile or higher. Sixteen percent had abnormally high fasting blood sugars and almost 7 percent had abnormally high insulin levels, both risk factors for progression to type 2 diabetes. According to Dr. Erinn T. Rhodes, the director of the Type 2 Diabetes Program at Children’s Hospital Boston, the absolute number of children with type 2 diabetes in the U.S. remains relatively small. “But the number of children at risk is growing,” she added. Excessive weight is just one red flag. Genetics also play a significant role. “Children with type 2 diabetes usually have some degree of excess weight,” said Rhodes. “But a family history of type 2 diabetes is a common risk factor as well.” Distinguishing between type 1 and type 2 diabetes can sometimes be difficult. The distinguishing factor between the two types of diabetes is how the body makes and responds to insulin, which is needed in order to allow cells in the body to use sugar as a source of energy. In type 1 diabetes, the most common Mendez, continued to page 4
RISING OBESITY RATES PARTLY TO BLAME Type 2 diabetes is a huge burden to bear for an adolescent and parent. Try being both. Or being a child not quite fully understanding the seriousness of this condition. Kiaralix Guillenramos, 17, is not your typical high school junior. She says she likes math and English, but she has more pressing responsibilities. First is her new baby boy. But that birth triggered an unexpected consequence. Seven months into her pregnancy, Guillenramos was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. “I never heard of it,” she readily admits. Gestational diabetes occurs for the first time when a woman is pregnant, meaning that diabetes did not exist before pregnancy and may not exist after birth. However, women who have gestational diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes as they age. Guillenramos’ gestational diabetes disappeared after birth, but she was not completely out of the woods. She was told that she was borderline or high risk, for type 2 diabetes. Blood glucose levels, an indication of diabetes, don’t always take one leap from normal to a full-blown case. Kiaralix, continued to page 4
Kiaralix Guillenramos, 17, was diagnosed with gestational diabetes while pregnant with her son, Jacobi. After his birth, her pre-diabetes eventually progressed to type 2 diabetes. (Ernesto Arroyo photo)