Diabetes and Your Child: Understanding Prediabetes
Diabetes and Your Child: Understanding Prediabetes
What Is Prediabetes?
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| Work with your child’s healthcare provider to reduce your child’s risk of developing diabetes. |
Prediabetes means your child has a higher than normal level of sugar in his or her blood. This may mean that your child’s blood sugar has been measured at 100-125 at least once. If steps aren’t taken to lower your child’s blood sugar, diabetes can result. And once your child has diabetes, it doesn’t go away.
What Are the Causes of Diabetes?
Diabetes often runs in families. African American, Latino, Native American, Asian American, and Pacific Islander families are often affected. Your child may be more likely to develop diabetes if:
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He or she spends more time sitting than being active.
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He or she is overweight for his or her age and height.
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A parent or sibling has diabetes.
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The mother had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy).
You can get your child involved in daily activity.
You Can Prevent Diabetes
You can help decrease your child’s risk of developing diabetes. Work with your child’s healthcare provider, and follow the steps below:
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Healthy eating. Make sure your child is eating many different kinds of foods. Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, and low-fat dairy. Limit sugars and fats. And limit processed, prepackaged foods and fast foods such as burgers, fries, sodas, and shakes. These foods are high in calories, fat, and sodium, and low in nutrition.
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Physical activity. Being active can help your child’s body use glucose. Try for at least 60 minutes of active playtime every day. It doesn’t have to be all at once. A few playtimes of 10 to 20 minutes add up.
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Weight loss. Talk to your child’s healthcare provider about setting a healthy weight-loss goal. Even a loss of 5-10 pounds may help your child’s body use glucose better.
ResourcesFor more information about diabetes, visit these websites:
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