By Fazeena Saleem
DOHA: With many children in Qatar at a risk of developing diabetes a study has been launched for early intervention to the lifestyle disease.
An early intervention would delay chronic complications which could be caused by diabetes, according to Dr Abdulla Al Hamaq, Executive Director, Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA).
The study by QDA identifies 200 children between the age of 12 and 17 years with pre-diabetes conditions and will introduce them to an intervention programme.
“It’s very important because many are at the risk of developing the illness…..There is also a new trend as many adolescents are being diagnosed with diabetes, ” Dr Al Hamaq told this newspaper.
In the first phase of the study children has been unidentified through several methods as checking their BMI, medical records and if the parents have diabetes.
In the second phase, which is set to begin soon, those children will be introduced to healthy life style, food habits and physical activities.
Diabetes at its later stage can lead into chronic complications which affects at least five vital organs. It can damage the nervous system, blood vessels and cause heart attacks or strokes, damage eyes and lead to blindness, kidney failure, damage teeth, feet and skin.
Dr Al Hamaq also asked parents to be watchful if their children show any symptoms like frequent urination, excessive thirst, increased hunger, unexplained weight loss, tiredness or lethargy and seek medical advice.
At present, about 1,000 children with diabetes are being managed at the Hamad Medical corporation (HMC)’s Pediatric Endocrine and Diabetes Unit, of these, approximately 150 receive insulin regularly via the insulin pump therapy.
According to a study by the HMC the increase in incidence of diabetics among children is 23.6 per 100,000.
The most prevalent type of diabetes in kids is type 1, which is found in 90 percent of children affected with diabetes.
“These children require insulin treatment at all times and there is no other medication for them,” said Dr Al Hamaq.
Causes of type 1 diabetes are still unknown, but many theories assert that it occurs due to autoimmune destruction that triggers a loss of pancreatic beta cells responsible for insulin production.
The occurrence of type 1 diabetes has no link with consanguinity, positive family history, food habits or medication.
The number of children and young adults affected by type 2 diabetes is beginning to rise, particularly with the increase of obesity and improper diets. However, it can be prevented through diet control and weight reduction strategies.
Diabetes is estimated to affect 16.7 percent of Qataris, according to the 2012 Qatar STEPwise report. The International Diabetes Federation has predicted that 25 percent of Qataris will have diabetes by 2030 if the challenge is not addressed and lifestyles are not modified.
The Peninsula
