Dubai: Parents and schools need more awareness on how to stem the tide of diabetes, which continues to affect more children, health officials said.
Childhood diabetes in the UAE is mostly the unpreventable Type I diabetes, but doctors have now reported seeing children as young as 10 with Type II diabetes. Obesity is the main culprit in the development of Type II diabetes, which is when the body becomes resistant to insulin and is no longer able to convert sugar and starches into energy.
Dr Elham Al Amiri, paediatric endocrinologist at Al Qasimi Hospital, said many parents seem to have a warped view of what constitutes a healthy weight.
"It's a common complaint. Parents complain that their kids are underweight," she said.
"They have the mindset that kids have to be chubby to be healthy. Parents don't think being chubby is serious [and some] try to force their kids to eat more," she added.
When Dr Elham checked the children's weight based on their height, she often found they were of normal weight for their age and height.
She said as long as children were growing well and were active, they were healthy.
The most important thing was to ensure they got the correct amount of nutrition: half a plate of non-starchy vegetables, a quarter of staple carbohydrate and protein, plus a side plate of fruit and a drink of milk.
"People here tend to have more rice and no vegetables," she said.
The lack of awareness spills over to schools as well. Schools do not play an active enough role in preventing Type II diabetes in children or dealing with the ones who have already developed either type of diabetes.
Dr Khalid Fadhli, director of the non-profit Juvenile Diabetes Education Centre, said it was important for schools to get involved.
"Teachers don't have awareness unless it affects them personally. Some schools don't allow diabetic kids to do physical education and that is wrong," he said.
"Diabetes management is multi-tasking. It's not just the doctors and parents; schools need to be involved too because children spend at least eight hours there," he added.
The centre is trying to encourage schools to adopt a diabetes policy for pupils: teaching schools how to recognise warning signs in diabetic students and how to deal with diabetes.
For instance, allowing diabetic children to have bathroom breaks and allowing them to test their blood glucose levels.
Dr Fadhli said they were working with the Health and Education ministries as well as schools to get the policy recognised.
"We will start teaching schools and nurses," he said.
He added the centre hoped to start the courses by May.
- 20% UAE residents have diabetes
- 24% Emirati adults have diabetes
- 12% UAE schoolchildren are obese
- 21.7% UAE schoolchildren are overweight
- Dh724m Maximum spent annually by government on treatment
Your comments
I am a type 1 diabetic and its been three years since i was diagnosed.The logic behind not allowing children with diabetes from physical activity escapes me. If the teachers are well aware of the student's condition and keep a constant check there will be no complications whatsoever. The best way to deal with type 1 diabetes and lead a normal life is by balancing meals and insulin doses along with ample of exercise.
Ahmad
Mangalore,India
Posted: March 20, 2009, 11:53
For diabeties mostly helps exercises after meals, around half an hour walk or run, like in the army. In three months sugar levels would reduce to normal levels.
Jolanta
Klaipeda,Lithuania
Posted: March 20, 2009, 01:54
