What are we feeding our kids and ourselves? If you are fond of sweets, fast food items, and various unhealthy food items, then it is high time that you change your habits before you and your kids get sick! In news that shocked the world, a 3-year-old girl in Houston, Texas has been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, making her the youngest person to have ever been diagnosed with this medical condition.
The girl weighs an astonishing 35kg, making her among the top 5% of her age group in terms of weight. She’s also within the top 5% of her age group in terms of height and body mass index (BMI). In layman’s terms, this girl is obese.
University of Texas pediatric endocrinologist Dr Michael Yafi revealed that the girl was brought to his clinic for obesity but he did not expect that she would be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Yafi said the child’s medical history was actually quite unremarkable and was just similar to other kids. For instance, she was born weighing 7 lbs at full term and her parents did not have a history of diabetes. Upon closer inspection on their health habits, however, the doctor found out they have “poor nutritional habits”, eating food with high calories and fats.
To treat the child’s diabetes, she was given metformin, made to do exercise, and eat healthy food at smaller portions. And wouldn’t you know it? The treatment actually worked!
Reversal of Diabetes
Within 6 months, the child had reduced to 75% of weight she had when she first visited Yafi’s clinic! The incredible reduction definitely saved her life because the doctors said she does not have type 2 diabetes anymore.
Contrary to popular belief that if you have diabetes you will be diabetic for the rest of your life, Yafi clarified that this could not be generalized, especially in young kids, saying “Reversal of type 2 diabetes in children is possible by early screening of obese children, early diagnosis, appropriate therapy and lifestyle modification”.
This was certainly proven by this girl’s case.