Healthy Weight Loss in Childhood can Lessen Risk of Diabetes

It has long been common knowledge that obesity in children can lead to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in the future, but new studies have discovered that if this weight is lost before the age of 13 and kept off, then the risk levels concerning this condition dramatically decrease as well.

Speaking about the advances made by the paper, Dr. Jennifer Baker, the co-author of the report indicated that before the publication of their results, weight reduction as a means of lowering diabetes risk was only studied in adulthood. However, thanks to the findings of the paper, it has been discovered that proactive measures taken to lose excessive weight before puberty can greatly improve the odds of lessening the projected risk.

Weight and Projected Health Risks

Data on over 62, 500 people in Denmark were collected in an effort to conduct this study. The researchers used the registered information to make note of the candidates’ weight during different stages in their life, namely seven, 13, and their early adulthood. This information was then arranged to identify any potential correlations that existed between this element and diabetes-related to one’s diet between the ages of 30 and 60. The candidates that took place in the research were listed in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The foundation of their discoveries concluded that individuals who spent a majority of their life under the average weight scale generally suffered fewer chances of contracting diabetes. Dr. Baker noted that there was a related dependence between weight management and the level of risk factors experienced concerning this condition. It should be noted that over 23% of the global children population is considered to be overweight or obese, indicating the somber nature of the problem at hand.

Diabetes and Weight Loss

Though the studies indicated that 72% of men who developed type 2 diabetes between the ages of 30 and 60 were not overweight during their childhood, age and weight gain played a notable role in the remaining 28%. Those who happened to be overweight at ages seven, 13 and their young adulthood quadrupled their risk of contracting diabetes. This is a significant rise in the odds involved and could lead to additional medical complications that could have otherwise been avoided. Waiting until one is in need of adult CPR due to related complications is not the right way of approaching such a delicate matter.

Adding on excess weight during one’s puberty stage and maintaining it throughout their young adult life also greatly enhances an individual’s chances of higher risk factors. The study suggested that the earlier a child is able to lose the additional weight gained, the greater their chances of lessening their risk factor in their adult life. Children who lost weight by the age of 13 for example, exhibited lower risk factors compared to those who may have lost it during their adolescent period. It should be noted that the findings of the study do not promote excessive weight loss, but rather adequate weight normalization in children and young adults.