Report: More Teens Have Diabetes

Diabetes Increases Risk For Heart Disease

British researchers believe they've found a link between obesity and a new form of diabetes that is becoming more common in children.

Researchers at Bristol University said a diet in fast food and high fat has contributed to increasing obesity in children, and more teens are being diagnosed with type 2 or adult-onset diabetes, which was previously only found in higher risk ethnic minority children in Britain.

And now they believe the trend is heading to the United States.

"The worrying thing is that in the United States, there are reports of up to 25 percent of the children in some cities developing diabetes, and now have type 2 diabetes. This was unheard of 40, 30, even 20 years ago," said Dr. Julian Shield, the report's author.

For the individual, diabetes can have devastating effects. A diabetic is predisposed to blindness, kidney disease, stroke, and heart attack.

Experts said exercise is essential for children to maintain healthy hearts and prevent diabetes.

"Children need to do an hour or two of exercise a day, at least five days a week to give them a good, healthy heart. Because if not, they are more likely to become obese, and if they do, they're increasing their risk of carrying heart disease in the future," said Alison Shaw, a spokeswoman for the British Heart Foundation.

It's estimated that any child born today has a one in 10 chance of developing diabetes at some point in his or her life. But the new finding of adult type diabetes in children means that some youngsters already face a lifetime of serious ill health.

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