Type 2 Diabetes In Children On The Rise! Lifestyle Is The Main Cause

A worrying trend is happening in Indonesia: the number of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes continues to increase. The disease, once known as "adult diabetes", is now attacking younger age groups due to changes in modern lifestyles, which unknowingly start from the home environment itself. 

A diet high in sugar, fast food, uncontrolled snacking habits, and minimal physical activity are the main triggers. Sadly, many parents are quick to blame heredity or genetic factors, even though the family's lifestyle is most responsible for the spike in cases. 

The Chairperson of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), Dr. Piprim Basarah Yanuarso, Sp.A, Subsp.Kardio(K), firmly stated that genetic factors are not actually dominant. In fact, daily habits passed on from parents to children are the main triggers for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus in children. 

"So sometimes we like to blame genetic factors, even though they are lazy to exercise, often snack, the same type of eating pattern is then much more dangerous than genetic factors alone," said Dr. Piprim in an interview with ANTARA, Saturday (1/6). 

Unhealthy Lifestyle in the Family is the Starting Point 

Children's lifestyles are greatly influenced by what they see and experience every day at home. Parents who rarely move, often consume instant foods, and get their children used to sitting still in front of gadgets for hours without physical activity, unknowingly create a fertile environment for the development of insulin resistance from an early age. 

According to Dr. Piprim, if parents are able to implement a healthy lifestyle from the start, children can avoid type 2 diabetes, even though there is a hereditary history. The steps he recommends include: 

Get enough quality sleep 

Exercise with sufficient intensity regularly 

Do intermittent fasting in a healthy and structured way 

Consume foods high in nutrients and animal protein 

Reduce consumption of added sugar and fast-absorbing carbohydrates 

The application of this lifestyle has been proven to be able to maintain the balance of children's metabolism, prevent obesity, and improve the body's sensitivity to insulin. 

"Parents' eating patterns and activities will be imitated by children. If parents diligently walk in the morning, eat vegetables, and minimize snacking, it is likely that children will also get used to a healthy lifestyle," Piprim emphasized. 

Tag: Diabetes Indonesian Pediatrician Association Lifestyle Modern Lifestyles