Diabetes 'epidemic' a threat to health funds

A generation of fat and inactive children has the potential to bankrupt Northland health services, a doctor says.

Doctors in Northland are treating increasing numbers of severely overweight children suffering a form of diabetes previously found mainly in obese middle-aged and elderly people.

Adolescents and children are being treated for the highly preventable Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity, poor diet and lack of exercise.

The adult disease - previously known as "mature onset diabetes" - was unknown in New Zealand children a decade ago.

At that time, all child diabetics had the unavoidable Type 1 diabetes, which forced them to taken insulin injections.

People with Type 2 diabetes often require oral agents or insulin for glucose control.

Diabetes leads to a host of problems, including blindness, kidney failure, amputation and heart disease.

The diabetes epidemic have the potential to bankrupt health services, said Whangarei Hospital paediatrician Roger Tuck. "In terms of healthcare it is just tremendously expensive to treat."

The increasing number of children with Type 2 diabetes was linked to obesity and poor lifestyles, he said.

"Too much fatty food, TV and computer games and being driven around in cars."

Northland Health has established a lifestyle clinic in an attempt to reduce the waistlines of young Northlanders.

- NZPA