And type 2 diabetes in kids is much tougher to treat
This story has been all over the news this week—television, print and internet (See links below to articles). The first large study of type 2 diabetes in children was published online by the New England Journal of Medicine on 4-29-12. This is the first large study because until recently, type 2 diabetes in children simply didn’t exist. The study revealed:
Obesity and the form of diabetes linked to it are taking an even worse toll on America’s youths than medical experts had realized. As obesity rates in children have climbed, so has the incidence of Type 2 diabetes, and a new study adds another worry: the disease progresses more rapidly in children than in adults and is harder to treat.
As in yesterday’s blog about how “family history” affects obesity—we’re finding that the same holds true for diabetes. And it’s high time that today’s generation of parents start taking responsibility for the future family history that will affect their descendants. From the article, this is what’s at stake:
The findings could signal trouble ahead because poorly controlled diabetes significantly increases the risk of heart disease, eye problems, nerve damage, amputations and kidney failure. The longer a person has the disease, the greater the risk. So in theory, people who develop diabetes as children may suffer its complications much earlier in life than previous generations who became diabetic as adults.
Dr. Neal Barnard wrote an entire book about reversing diabetes—and it’s nothing new.
Even though Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Joel Fuhrman and many others know that type 2 diabetes can be reversed in 95% or more of the cases—that news rarely makes it to the pubic. The “system” keeps talking about managing or controlling this horrible disease but keeps the public in the dark when it comes to telling them exactly how to get rid of it.
It literally makes me want to scream. In all of the mainstream news that I have heard since Sunday night on this topic, I have not heard a single mention of the simple way to stop this disease in its tracks. Sadly, proper guidance from the medial community on how to reverse diabetes hardly ever happens. Rather, most young people experience something like this one mentioned in the NY Times article:
Sara Chernov, 21, a college senior from Great Neck, N.Y., learned that she had Type 2 diabetes when she was 16. Her grandfather had had both legs amputated as a result of the disease, and one of the first questions she asked was when she would lose her legs and her eyesight.
A doctor scolded her for being fat and told her she had to lose weight and could never eat sugar again. She left the office in tears and did not go back; soon after, she joined the [aforementioned] study at Columbia. Like many of the children in the program, she did not even know how to swallow a pill.
Sadly, you won’t find much help here. They’re in the disease-management business—not disease elimination.
The study featured three separate groups of patients, all of whom received some kind of drug–even the group that also had a lifestyle change element. But high failure rates were reported in all three. Sadly, none of the groups received the kinds of dietary changes that are recommended by all of the doctors mentioned earlier—and laid our clearly in Dr. Barnard’s book.
Want to help create a “family history” of vibrant health in your family. Begin by doing your homework. Read some books, make some calls and develop a plan of action.
- Got Type 2 Diabetes? “Get rid of it,” says Dr. Ornish (includes videos by McDougall, Fuhrman and Barnard)
- Obesity, diabetes — still getting worse, with no end in sight…
- Eskimos, obesity, diabetes and unsustainability — NPR
- Neal Barnard, M.D., part of foundation of “4-Leaf” Program
- The GEICO health promotion project — without the little gecko.
Having trouble finding an M.D. that “gets it” regarding the reversal of diabetes or heart disease? This may help: Finding an MD that appreciates plant-based nutrition
New York Times Article: Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Cases Take Toll on Children
Results of the study were published in: The New England Journal of Medicine.
Want to find out how healthy your family is eating? Take our free 4Leaf Diagnostic Survey It takes less than five minutes and you can score it yourself. After taking the survey, please give me your feedback as it will be helpful in the development of our future 4Leaf app for smartphones. Send feedback to jmorrishicks@me.com
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J. Morris Hicks, working daily to promote health, hope and harmony on planet Earth.
For help in your own quest to take charge of your health, you might find some useful information at our 4Leaf page or some great recipes at Lisa’s 4Leaf Kitchen.
Got a question? Let me hear from you at jmorrishicks@me.com. Or give me a call on my cell at 917-399-9700.
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Blogging daily at hpjmh.com…from the seaside village of Stonington, Connecticut – Be well and have a great day.
—J. Morris Hicks, board member, T. Colin Campbell Foundation
In the April 30 issue of USA Today (See link below), there was an article about a new four-part HBO documentary—The Weight of the Nation—that will begin on May 14. The production provides independent advice on health and features dozens of top experts exploring the causes and solutions for obesity in the USA.
Where to get help? I recommend that you watch the HBO documentary, but don’t expect to learn much about how to really take charge of your health. You also won’t find much help on any of the 
This delicious recipe came from my sister-in-law, Diana, who seemed to effortlessly throw it together. This recipe is perfect for a warm day!
J. Morris Hicks, engineer. writer. big picture guy. 