Extensive change in lifestyle and eating habits has led to a rise in the cases of diabetes among children. Being pushed into insulin and tablets, the children stand testimony to an unhealthy society.

A doctor at the Diabetology Department at Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) confirmed it saying, “There are more than 500 patients in type 1 and 2000 patients in type 2 that too under the age of 14, visits us at CMCH”.

Dr. Arun Karthik, Consultant Diabetologist at Diacare, a Diabetes Specialties Center, said “There is 15% increase in the total of children and young adults suffer type 2 diabetes”. When we asked him what has led to this trend, he replied that lack of outdoor exercises, consumption of high caloric and carbohydrate foods and the vigorous change of lifestyle has resulted in the increase of Type 2 Diabetes among children and youngsters”.

He also added that it is lack of physical exercise that has led to obesity too.

Consulting further about the issue, Dr. Shivabharathi of Kovai Kids Clinic, said, “There are 80-100 patients consulting this clinic daily, of which several are children affected by Type 1 Diabetes”.He also remarked that Type 1 diabetes among the children is not inherited but a family with Type 2 Diabetes will affect the children later.

Lack of insulin production in body will result in Type 2 Diabetes where the patient needs to take tablets to control the sugar level properly. At the same time Type 1 is an auto- immune disease where regular intake of insulin is necessary.

The senior official in the Diabetology Department also commended the Government for taking measures to cure the Diabetic patients by giving free medicines. “There is lifelong, free insulin scheme for those affected by Type 1 Diabetics as provided by the Government”, he added.