Risk of type 2 diabetes and
prediabetes is a growing
concern as one in three
American children are
obese and one in five
children ages 12-18 are
prediabetic. Every family
has steps they can take
together to help their
children grow up as healthy
as they can.
People with type 2 diabetes either have too little insulin or their insulin does
not work well, so they have high blood sugar levels that must be controlled
with oral medications, insulin, and incorporating healthy lifestyle behaviors
including healthy eating and regular exercise.
Type 2 diabetes can lead to serious health problems for children, which
develop gradually throughout many years. Complications can include high
cholesterol, heart and blood vessel disease, stroke, nerve damage, kidney
disease and eye disease.
Take Action Family Style
A healthy diet and exercise is key for overall health for the whole family, and
for type 2 diabetes prevention. There are a few simple steps most families
can make in their routines to make a big difference.
“It is important for families to reward their children with something
other than food,” said Darleen Reinking, RDN, LDN CDCES. A registered
dietitian and certified diabetic education specialist for more than 30 years,
Reinking teaches and provides medical nutritional therapy at CalvertHealth
Medical Center where she treats all ages. For young children, stickers and
sticker charts can be highly motivating for positive reinforcement.
For older children, working toward the goal of a bigger purchase
that is more tangible could be an option for some families.
Consider ways to get the whole family moving. After
dinner walks, bike rides, or scooter rides as a family can be a
great habit to move and spend more time together as a family.
Some families can have a family hobby or activity they learn
together like pickleball or hiking. When signing up children for
sports, consider having one or both parents volunteer to help with
the team so the rest of the family gets extra physical activity.
Next, model healthy eating in your own life. Strive to
have as many meals together as a family, away from screens as
much as possible. Try challenging your family to have 20 dinners
together in one month with an incentive like a day at a local
festival or holiday event. Encouraging healthy eating in children
can be a challenge with various preferences, schedules, or factors
such as neurodivergence, which can make children sensitive
to certain tastes and textures. If you have concerns about your
child’s nutrition health, contact your local registered dietitian at
CalvertHealth Community Wellness 410.535.8233.
Healthy Body, Healthy Mind
It’s important to speak positively about food and body image even
while encouraging changes in health habits.
“Eating disorders are complex medical issues that have
serious physical, mental, and psychosocial consequences with
high mortality rates,” said Reinking.
Eating disorders have been on the rise since the pandemic,
so it’s important to encourage positive behaviors and know the
risk signs including: your child won’t eat any foods from one or
more food groups, your child losing or not gaining enough weight,
weight fluctuations, strained family relationships related to what
your child will or will not eat, restrictive or regimented eating,
expressing unhappiness about their body or weight, exercising
much more than usual and spending a lot of time in the bathroom.
“If you have concerns talk to your child and talk to their
primary medical care provider. Even if you are wrong, it can lead
to an important conversation about healthy eating and body image
that could help prevent future eating disorder. If you are right,
then it will get the help your child needs sooner,” Reinking said.