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Bengal

Prevalence of Type 1 diabetes increasing among children in state

Kolkata: The prevalence of diabetes Type 1 has been increasing among the children in the state which is mostly caused due to lack of adequate breast feeding.
According to the experts number of juvenile diabetes in the state as well as in the country is less than some of the other countries. But the number is still continuing to go up. Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterised by increase in the levels of blood sugar. The most common type of diabetes is type 2 diabetes, usually in adults, which occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn't make enough insulin. Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin by itself.
According to Dr Subhankar Chowdhury, the Head of the department of Endocrinology at the IPGMER and SSKM Hospital said that more than one lakh children are vulnerable to Type 1 diabetes in the country. Type 1 diabetic patients are treated with insulin.
He also said that the disease is found more among the urban population. Dr Chowdhury also added that according to a study, India will be the home to the highest number of diabetes patients overtaking China. In the country like India, diabetes is more prevalent among male but mortality rate is higher among the female.
The International Diabetes Federation [IDF] 8th Atlas 2017 also corroborated the view saying that India is inching closer in overtaking China to have the largest population of people with diabetes: 72.9 million are living with diabetes currently and is expected to grow up to 134.3 million by 2045. The atlas also pointed out that one in six births globally (16.2%) is affected by Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM).
Irregular food habit and sedentary lifestyle may also cause the disease. The disease can be checked through the change of lifestyle. People, especially those who are obese, should do exercise on a regular basis, the doctor suggested. He also suggested that people above 30 must check their insulin level in blood.
Diabetes is in itself a risk factor for invasive pneumococcal infection. There exist a substantial number of diabetic patients who have other co-morbidities like renal complications, coronary artery disease, COPD, chronic liver disease, malignancies, etc.
For this subset of diabetic patients, pneumococcal vaccination should be recommended on priority by virtue of being at more risk than those with diabetes alone.

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