"Over 18 million people have diabetes in the United States, and of those more than 200,000 are children and adolescents"("Knowledge Path"). Diabetes is a harsh and rapidly deteriorating disease-affecting millions of people per year. The research shows that the rate of increase in diabetes in children and adolescents today is alarming. Today, with both parents working outside the home on the rise, fast food, and television are becoming more popular substitutes to exercise, and home cooked meals. Changes in today's lifestyle have increased a child's inactivity, and created poor nutritional habits in the home. These circumstances along with genetic background and our youth's early maturity levels have ultimately increased the rate of Type 2 diabetes within children and adolescents. .
Diabetes is a disease in which the body is not producing enough, or any insulin, to keep up with the amount of sugar the body is producing. The beta cells don't produce enough or quality, meaning there is plenty of insulin, but it doesn't work very well in the body. "Diabetes is an incredibly complicated disease that comes in different flavors"(Becker, 4). Type 1 diabetes, or as commonly referred to as "Juvenile Offset" diabetes it is an autoimmune-insulin dependant, and is more prevalent in the youth. This .
2.
type arises due to lack of insulin being produced in the body, also known as insulin-dependant diabetes mellitus (IDDM)(Whitaker, 5). Children with juvenile offset diabetes normally are thin, and not obese. Another type of diabetes, is referred to as Type 2, this diabetes form is a lot different than Type 1. Type 2 diabetes does not reflect a lack of insulin, but rather the inability of the body to use it effectively. It is also referred to as non-insulin-dependant diabetes (Whitaker, 5). This type of diabetes is more common in the elderly, and the obese, but is starting to become more common in today's youth.
