On.cc (10/11/2021)(In Chinese)
An average of 7 children in Hong Kong are diagnosed with diabetes each month. Research suggests fatty liver may be a complication of growth
Don’t think that diabetes only occurs in the elderly. Diabetes has long been on the rise at a younger age. Children of any age have the chance to get it! In Hong Kong alone, about 10% of the population has diabetes, and an average of 7 children are diagnosed with diabetes each month, and the number continues to rise at an alarming rate. The Children’s Diabetes Association announced a study today (10th) that fatty liver may become a long-term complication of diabetes patients.
The Children’s Diabetes Association said that the number of diabetes patients is continuing to rise worldwide, especially among children and adolescents. So far, there are about 1.1 million people under the age of 20 suffering from type 1 diabetes worldwide. The association emphasized that if diabetes is not properly treated or even undetected, patients have a higher risk of serious or fatal complications such as heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.
Diabetes is divided into type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is more common in children and is an immune disease. The chairman of the Children’s Diabetes Association, Ms. Cheng Fengliangqi, said that type 1 diabetes is a “24/7” disease, which means that it needs to be dealt with at any time because the immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas responsible for producing insulin. This disease cannot be prevented or cured, and patients must receive insulin injections for life.
Pediatrician Dr. Cheung Pik-to said that the incidence of type 1 diabetes in Hong Kong is lower than in other regions. Symptoms include thirst, frequent urination, nocturia, weight loss, and even sudden bedwetting in children. Parents are reminded to pay more attention to their children’s physical condition.
As for the previous reports published in the “Childhood Diabetes Register”, the incidence of the two types of diabetes has continued to rise in the past 20 years, and the number of children suffering from type 2 diabetes has increased exponentially. From 1997 to 2007, there were 198 children diagnosed in Hong Kong, and from 2008 to 2017, the number rose to 391. The trend is the same as the global situation, such as the United States, Europe and other places. The association predicts that by 2030, the number of diabetes patients worldwide will increase to 643 million.
The main cause of type 2 diabetes is the body’s resistance to insulin. Obesity is the most dangerous factor causing this disease. In addition, genetics, bad eating habits, and lack of exercise can also lead to type 2 diabetes.
Regarding whether a child has type 2 diabetes, Dr. Chang said that it is mainly through routine screening, and the comorbidities that children suffer from when diagnosed with this disease include fatty liver, dyslipidemia and high blood pressure.
In addition, long-term diabetes will lead to many serious complications. Although the liver has not been considered an organ directly damaged by long-term diabetes, there is evidence that diabetes and fatty liver have common metabolic disorders. Another pediatrician, Dr. Zhou Zhongwu, said that a self-directed study on “the incidence of transient fatty liver in type 1 diabetes patients” recently published by an institution showed that fatty liver has the potential to become a long-term complication of diabetic patients, and found that the incidence of fatty liver and liver fibrosis index in adults are higher than those in children and adolescents. The study recommends that the assessment of fatty liver be included in the complication screening plan for diabetic patients.
As Diabetes Awareness Month approaches, the Children’s Diabetes Association hopes that the public will pay attention to the rising trend of childhood diabetes so that they can receive better care.