HHS HealthBeat (February 2, 2010)

Which kid gets diabetes

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

A tidal wave of diabetes is building as kids gain too much weight. At the Jewish Hospital of Cincinnati, Charles Glueck has been looking at ways to predict which kids will develop diabetes.

He says a child’s blood pressure, degree of overweight, blood sugar levels and other easy tests in a doctor’s office can predict risk nine and 26 years later. Glueck says insulin levels are a key predictor.

But Glueck says diabetes can be prevented:

[Charles Glueck speaks] “If I’m a parent or a child, and I’m dealing with heavy children at age 10, I’m going to take whatever steps I can with my pediatrician and family care physician to reduce obesity.”

The study in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: May 7, 2011