Diabetes mellitus type II in school children: Risk evaluation and its genetic correlation

Santosh Mahajan, Paramjot Kaur

International Journal of Oral Health Sciences 2017 7(1):4-9

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus type II (T2DM) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, with its increasing prevalence in children worldwide and is associated with their eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and family history of the disease. Aim: The present study was an attempt to screen the school children at risk of developing T2DM in their near future and to comprehend the cause of disease. Materials and Methods: A total of 71 students (45 boys and 26 girls) of the age (mean ± standard deviation) 12.8 ± 2.1 years of Bhartiya Vidya Mandir School, Ludhiana, were scored using Indian diabetes risk score (IDRS), a questionnaire that is simple, validated, and had proven to be highly effective in the previous studies. Results: The present study revealed that out of 71 children, 7%, 63%, and 30% of the children were in high-, moderate-, and low-risk groups, respectively. The study reflected that the boys would be at higher risk of developing T2DM in their near future than girls due to more pronounced diabetic history in their family (a nonmodifiable factor) than in girls and the presence of acanthosis nigricans (the marker of insulin resistance) only in the boys. Girls were at risk mainly because of their less physical activity and more abdominal waist (the modifiable factors). Conclusions: IDRS provided a useful tool for identifying the cause for the risk of disease in children. Fathers might be responsible for the transmission of T2DM more to their sons. T2DM in childhood can be prevented to large extent by increasing physical activity periods in school, promoting healthy eating habits, and regular screening programs to identify the at-risk cases for early treatment and to control the long-term effects of the disease.

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