A new study that suggests diabetic children with untreated asthma have a harder time controlling their blood sugar levels has run into criticism.  More research is needed before the claim can be accepted, due to the limitations of the analysis, says an expert.

Around 215,000 American youngsters have diabetes, mostly Type 1, which is caused by an autoimmune response in the body, which is not yet fully understood.  The response destroys beta cells in the pancreas, which manufacture insulin, the hormone that allows us to absorb and store sugars from our food.  Without these cells, the youngsters have to have insulin injections and monitor their blood sugar levels carefully to stay healthy.

Continue reading “Untreated Asthma Worsens Diabetes in Children – or is this Nonsense?” »

As the obesity epidemic gathers momentum children and young people are at increased risk of developing diabetes.  Doctors are seeing a large increase in the incidence of Type II diabetes, previously known as “maturity onset” diabetes, in children.  This had led to misdiagnosis in some cases, with treatment for Type II diabetes being given to children who actually had Type I.

In Type I diabetes, weight may not be an issue, as this is the result of an auto-immune disorder in which the patient’s body destroys its own ability to produce insulin.  Type II diabetes occurs typically in overweight people whose cycle of constantly spiking blood sugar and insulin has caused their tissue to lose the ability to respond to insulin.

Continue reading “The Changing Face of Diabetes Diagnosis for Children” »

Doctors have long been aware that a fatty diet can bring about Type II diabetes, but American scientists say they have now discovered how this works.  After experiments on mice and on human cells, they discovered how fat in the blood interferes with the functioning of insulin to control blood sugar levels, which may bring better, more effective treatment a step nearer.

Obesity and a high consumption of fat are known factors in the development of Type II diabetes, and the worsening obesity crisis has seen diabetes cases double in the last 30 years.  In the US,  there are now 25.8 million people with diabetes and a further 79 million with pre-diabetes.  Many more with minimal symptoms may go undetected.

Continue reading “Scientists Discover How a Fatty Diet Can Cause Type II Diabetes” »