Diabetes UK have shockingly revealed that there are nearly 7,000 children and young adults under 25 with type 2 diabetes in England and Wales which is about 10 times the number reported before. The startling figures has combined the numbers of children seen by hospital specialists with those for the young people up to age 25 who are looked after by their GP.
Type 2 diabetes is linked to obesity and is more aggressive in young people than adults which can lead to amputations, blindness, heart disease and kidney failure.
The school children and young people of today will be the corporates of tomorrow, therefore it is important to educate them about their health and the consequences of leading an unhealthy lifestyle.
Minimise sugar intake
Reducing the quantity of sugar within the food and drink industry has been a big project of Public Health England. They have been working to cut sugar and calories in everyday foods, such as breakfast cereals, yoghurts, pizzas and ready meals. The government implemented in April this year a sugar tax on soft drinks which has raised £153.8 million since its introduction and is well under half of what they estimated it would amount to in the first seven months with George Osborne originally forecasting it would raise around £520 million a year.
However, whilst the government is trying to reduce sugar quantities in food and drink, it is still essential to consume in moderation certain unhealthy habits:
- Sugary breakfast cereals: Eating sugary cereals for breakfast is just as bad as eating cake. Read the label carefully to check the ingredients especially the sugar quantity.
- Hot dogs: Red and processed meats have been associated with a risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Hots dogs are high in sodium and saturated fats, whilst low in nutrients.
- Fast food: Everyone has a cheeky takeaway or fast food run now and again, however, they can contain half of your daily calorie allowance. They are full of saturated fats and artificial ingredients.
- Sugary drinks: Fizzy drinks are full of added sugar and empty calories, they have no nutritional value and are one of the worst sources of sugar. Consuming large amounts of sugary drinks can lead to type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
- Pastries, cookies and cakes: Whilst they are tasty, they are extremely unhealthy. The unhealthy treats are made with refined sugar, refined what flour and added fats.
Exercise regularly
Around 20 million adults in the UK are failing to meet Government recommendations for physical activity and over 5 million deaths worldwide are attributed to physical inactivity. Being physically active is good for both our physical and emotional health. NHS guidelines advise that adults aged 19 to 64 should try to be active at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week. Physical activity can help manage your diabetes and help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. The UK Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines state that physical activity can reduce your chance of type 2 diabetes by up to 40%. Exercise can be beneficial to your health as it:
- Lowers blood sugar levels.
- Helps the body to use insulin more effectively.
- Improves your diabetes management.
- Helps you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
- Lowers blood pressure levels.
- Improves sleep and gives you more energy.
- Lowers the risk for heart disease.
- Helps to build and tone muscles.
- Increased level of good cholesterol.
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