Published online in a June 2012 Pediatrics article, researchers reported pre-diabetes and diabetes in the age's form 12 to 19, increased from 9% to 23% in just eight years, from 2000 to 2008.

One in four of our children now have either pre-diabetes or diabetes. Another shocking finding is that over the last 15 years, the statistics have changed from only 3% of new cases of childhood diabetes being type 2, to now being 50% of all new cases.

This was a study of 3,383 children, ages 12 to 19 to gather this data. It was also found that 13% of these pre-diabetic or diabetic children were of normal weight. We can look thin enough and be metabolically obese. It is hard to detect type 2 diabetes in children because it can go undiagnosed for a long time; because children may have no symptoms or mild symptoms; and because blood tests are needed for diagnosis. This is one of the reasons we are do Functional Testing in our office If you do not look (test) you do not know.

Our junk food diets and lack of exercise deserve much of the blame for this downward spiral of health and wellness. Sugar, sodas and hydrogenated oils appeal to the taste, but not the health of children or adults. This generation has been marketed like no other to eat nutrient deficient - highly refined pseudo-foods. I may have made that word up (pseudo-food), but I think it tells the story well. Much of the food we eat is very tasty, full of calories and deficient in nutrients. Every metabolic process that takes place in the body is nutrient dependent.

We need to create healthy environments and healthy eating in out our homes, communities and schools. Children and adults that are unhealthy cannot keep up with the demands placed on them in this ever increasing world of competiveness. Mark Hyman, MD said recently in one of his articles that 75% of military recruits are not fit enough to serve. He also stated a child would have to run four miles per day for one week to burn off the amount of junk food being consumed in one meal.

Right now, in the adult population, one in three Medicare dollars is spent treating type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that the US will spend $3.4 trillion over the next ten years to treat pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Blood sugar dysregulation also causes elevated blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, heart stress, poor wound healing etc. Remember bad nutrition causes bad fats or fat inside your belly "VAT" (visceral adipose tissue). Bad fats create more bad fats. Also remember toxins like to accumulate in fat tissue. Surgeons report they find large amounts of fat accumulated around the organs, such as the colon, liver and kidneys. This is caused by our altered and artificial diet full of high fructose corn syrup, added sugars, trans-fats, flour and processed foods.

Here is some interesting data: "The average American eats 29 pounds of French fries, 23 pounds of pizza, 24 pounds of ice cream and consumes 53 gallons of soda, 24 pounds of artificial sweeteners, 2.736 pounds of salt and 90,700 mg of caffeine per year." I do not eat wheat, dairy, drink soda or do artificial sweetners and avoid trans fats, so someone else is eating my share. I do use some mineral/sea salt. Start small and work your way up. If you drink soda, diet or otherwise, that is a good place to start. Drink clean pure water, seltzer or mineral water with a slice of orange, lemon or lime. Herbal teas (hot or iced) along with green tea can be fine too. Then build from there. One more note, if your children or you drink fruit juices, then start diluting them incrementally until a mixture of 1/2 and 1/2 dilution satisfies. During summer provide the whole fruit, especially berries, apples and pears instead of juice.

To your good health,

Dr. Susan