Obesity-Linked Diagnoses On The Rise Among Kids And Teens

It's no secret that American children have gotten heavier in recent decades.
Now an analysis released Thursday by the nonprofit Fair Health, a national clearinghouse for claims data, joins earlier research showing the consequences of that extra weight. The study found a sharp rise in health insurance claims filed on behalf of young people who have high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and other conditions more typically associated with older adults.
Claims for Type 2 diabetes — formerly known as adult-onset diabetes — among people younger than 23 years old more than doubled between 2011 and 2015, according to the analysis of a large national database of health claims paid by about 60 insurers.
At the same time, claims for prediabetes among children and youth rose 110 percent, while high blood pressure claims rose 67 percent. Sleep apnea, a condition in which a patient temporarily stops breathing while sleeping, rose 161 percent.
The findings "not only raise quality-of-life questions for children, but also the ... kind of resources that will be necessary to address this emerging situation," said Robin Gelburd, president of Fair Health. The company offers free medical cost comparison tools to consumers, and sells data to insurers and health systems.
Fair Health's analysis is certainly not the first to note a rise in obesity or Type 2 diabetes in this age group, nor does it explore the possible reasons behind the apparent increase in claims. One factor in the rise could simply be an increased awareness of the problem and testing for it, while variations among s Continue reading

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Doctors' message to Asian Americans: Watch out for diabetes even if you're young and thin

The Silicon Valley techies visiting his office were typically slender Asian Americans in their 30s who worked out regularly and ate healthy meals. But, as Sinha repeatedly found, they either already had or were about to get diabetes.
It wasn't. What Sinha noticed a decade ago is now supported by a growing body of scientific research: Asians, in part for genetic reasons, are disproportionately likely to develop diabetes. They get the disease at younger ages and lower weights than others, experts say.
Diabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, often remains undiagnosed until it's too late, especially in Asians who haven't historically been considered high-risk. It's the seventh most common cause of death nationwide and can lead to blindness, amputations and strokes.
To prevent the insidious disease from gaining ground among the country's fastest-growing minority group, doctors and health advocates are trying to increase diabetes testing and treatment for Asian Americans, including Chinese, Indians and Filipinos. Diabetes is largely preventable, experts say — but only if people know they are at risk.
"We began with diabetes is not a big problem in the Asian community" to now thinking "simply being Asian is a risk factor," said Dr. Edward Chow, an internist who has worked in San Francisco's Chinatown since the 1970s.
In Los Angeles County, Asian American adults have the lowest obesity rate of any ethnic group, at 9%, compared with 18% of whites and 29% of Latinos and blacks.
But 10% of Asian Americans in L.A. County are diabetic, compared with 7 Continue reading

Free Weight Loss Tools for People with Diabetes

Welcome to SparkPeople, America's most active weight-loss and healthy living website! This article will introduce you to all of the SparkPeople features that can help adults manage type 2 diabetes, including our Spark*D Diabetes Management Program, which offers a variety of free tools, trackers, articles and support options that can help you achieve success in the lifestyle management program that your doctor, health care provider and/or Certified Diabetes Educator has outlined for you.
SparkPeople can help you with the diet, exercise and weight-loss components of your treatment plan, but please note that our website is no substitute for regular medical care. While certified diabetes educators helped develop these articles and tools, you should follow the treatment guidelines given to you by your doctor and/or certified diabetes educator should you encounter any contradictions to your treatment plan.
About Type 2 Diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes must work to manage the disease for the rest of their lives. You can help control your blood glucose levels by following a healthy diet and exercise program, losing excess weight, and using medication prescribed by your doctors.
In our Type 2 Diabetes Condition Center (found under the "Your Health" tab at the top of the site), you'll find dozens of healthy lifestyle articles we created specifically for people with type 2 diabetes, including: What SparkPeople Offers People with Type 2 Diabetes
Free Meal Plans. Our meal plans were created by registered dietitians and meet the basic dietary guidelines for people with type 2 diabete Continue reading

Recognizing Signs of Diabetes in Cats

Cats can develop diabetes just as humans can, and the treatment and management of the condition are very similar. Treatment may include dietary changes, adequate exercise and insulin.
Feline diabetes mellitus is more common that most people realize. It is thought that the condition is becoming more prevalent in cats due to factors such as diet and low activity levels. Male, neutered cats are at increased risk, as are cats who are overweight or obese. Age and underlying health issues may also be components in the development of diabetes. Because cats often mask illness quite well, being aware of the signs of this disease is important.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes can be classified into two categories. Type 1, which is the less common of the two, results when there is a lack of insulin being generated by the pancreas. Type 2 occurs when the feline body develops a resistance to insulin. Both types lead to abnormally high levels of glucose in the blood and the urine.
Symptoms of diabetes
Early symptoms such as lethargy may be inconclusive and possibly indicators of other diseases, which is why a veterinary exam is an important part of getting a correct diagnosis and treatment.
The following symptoms may be strong indicators of diabetes:
Weight changes
Weight gain in the early stages of diabetes will eventually change to weight loss as the disease progresses.
Insulin, normally released by the pancreas, aids in the transfer of glucose to the cells. A lack of insulin, or an abnormal response to the insulin, affects the regular production of energy. When this energy is missing, the b Continue reading

The Difference Between Hypoglycemia and Hyperglycemia

Diabetes is a condition which is known to elevate the levels of blood glucose levels in the body of the patient. But there are times when the level of blood glucose either becomes too high or too low. When the blood glucose is too high, the condition is called hyperglycemia and when it is low beyond a certain level, it is called hypoglycemia. In this article, we shall analyze and study the differences between the two conditions. So, join in for the article “The Difference Between Hypoglycemia and Hyperglycemia.”
Symptoms of Hypoglycemia and Hyperglycemia
Meaning of Hyperglycemia Versus Hypoglycemia
Let us first understand the difference in the meaning of the two terms:
Hyperglycemia refers to very high blood glucose levels in a diabetic patient. In fact, the level of fasting blood sugar is more than 126 mg per dl while the random blood glucose level is somewhat more than 200 mg per dl.
Hypoglycemia, on the other hand, refers to extremely low levels of blood glucose levels in a diabetes patient. In this case, the patient experiences a fasting blood glucose level of up to 126 mg per dl while the normal level of blood glucose is less than even 70 mg per dl. There are many other differences between the two terms which are explained as below:
Symptoms of Hypoglycemia and Hyperglycemia
Another difference in the two types of the condition is with reference to the signs and symptoms of the two. Following are the signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia:
Warning Signs of Hyperglycemia
Following are the symptoms of high blood glucose levels:
Increase in fatigue and we Continue reading