Chubby Children at Higher Risk for Diabetes

Being fat was traditionally regarded as a sign of prosperity and good health in Dominica. New mothers and even midwives valued a chubby over a slim child. While this perception may be changing, the idea lingers still.

A nurse at one of the health centers recently told a mother that her toddler was too slim and needed to put on some weight notwithstanding the fact that the child showed normal growth and weight gain. She advised using a little oil and butter in her meals.

Nevertheless, it is well known that obesity is not particularly healthy (or a sign of prosperity). In fact, Ophthalmologist Dr. Hazel Shillingford Ricketts says “a fat child is a sick child.”

Speaking on Matt in the Morning yesterday, Dr. Shillingford Said fat or overweight children are at increased risk for developing diabetes and retinopathy. A 20008 STEPP Survey revealed that 17.7% of Dominicans have diabetes. Interestingly however, it also showed that more and more children and young people are presenting with type 2 or adult diabetes.

According to Dr. Shillingford, “because of the increasing rate of obesity in children we find now more and more children are developing the diabetes s that old people have, so we can no longer say that a young person with diabetes has type 1. More and more children now have type 2 diabetes.”

Retinopathy usually takes about five years to manifest in children and young people. Consequently those with type 2 diabetes are being advised to have their eyes examined at the time that the diagnosis is made.

Dr. Shillingford also called for concerted action to address the problem of obesity. “We have to do everything based on our policies to ensure that the increasing prevalence of obesity in our children (and in adults too) is decreased” she said.