1 in 10 people with diabetes who are hospitalized with COVID-19 die within a week, suggesting that unmanaged diabetes increases the risk of dying from COVID-19. Untreated diabetes also increases both COVID-19 severity and complications, according to research presented at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) (https://www.healthline.com/health-news/40-percent-of-people-whove-died-from-covid-19-had-diabetes-researchers-say).
People with diabetes who were not taking medication to control their illness were hospitalized longer and took longer to recover than other people with COVID-19. Conversely, those with low blood sugar levels had less severe COVID-19 complications and shorter hospital stays. As per study reports 40 percent of Americans who have died of COVID-19 had either type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
India is known as one of the global diabetes epicenters of the global diabetes epidemic. Adults with diabetes get most of the attention while children with type 1 diabetes continue to fight for their rightful place under the sun.
Type 2 diabetes which was once called adult-onset diabetes is now becoming more common in children and teens, due to rising obesity. Children have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes if they are overweight or have obesity, have a family history of diabetes, or are not active (https://medlineplus.gov/diabetesinchildrenandteens.html)
To lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in children-
Have them maintain a healthy weight
Be sure they are physically active
Have them eat smaller portions of healthy foods
Limit time with the TV, computer, and video
Sensitise parents and children on this lethal yet ignored disease
As part of our Child Health & Sports Cooperative, we regularly hold sensitization sessions on diabetes and other lethal yet ignored diseases among children, parents and communities.
On World Diabetes Day help your child learn more about this disease through a comic book, available for download in English here and in Hindi here
