Most people want the best for their kids.  They’re hoping for a healthy pregnancy, an uneventful delivery, and they hope their children have the best opportunities for a long and healthy, successful and happy life. 

But, when Mom has diabetes, pregnancy carries higher risk…to her, and to her baby.  For Moms with type 1, they need to be super-vigilant to monitor their blood glucose and eat well and appropriately, avoiding blood glucose swings.  And for those with type 2, they also need consistency and self-awareness.  Even if you’ve not been diagnosed with diabetes…even if you’re at normal weight without a history of diabetes in your immediate family, pregnancy may find you diagnosed with gestational diabetes, a condition that occurs in the second trimester, which must be closely monitored and increases the risk of your contracting type 2 diabetes later on in life. 

There’s another way that your health may influence your child’s.  It appears that parents with insulin resistance may negatively influence their child’s vasculature. 

A recent study, published in the June 20, 2006 journal American College of Cardiology, examined a small group of adults in their early to mid-30s. None of the adults examined have been diagnosed with diabetes, however, half had parents with diabetes.  Researchers tested blood vessel responsiveness, revealing that those whose parents had diabetes had evidence of “endothelial dysfunction”, defined as “impaired responsiveness to blood flow restriction.”  Visualize a twisted garden hose…there may be a little water getting through, but most is impeded.  However, once the kink is undone and the water flow is unblocked, it should resume a strong flow.  There’s danger ahead if the hose is cracked and damaged, because water resuming its usual flow could result in further damage, such as leaks, or worse.  That’s what happens to damaged arteries too.  The researchers concluded that even without evidence of diabetes, children whose parents both had type 2 diabetes showed evidence that their heart blood vessels were damaged, increasing their heart attack risk.

Why does diabetes cause heart disease?

Damage to nerves and arteries starts imperceptibly, and symptoms are often vague and easy to get used to…that blurry vision is an appointment to the optometrist you keep putting off.  It’s hot out so you’ve been drinking more water, no wonder you’re thirsty and urinating frequently.  You might have itchy skin, so you buy some new body lotion. It’s all too easy to ignore the symptoms until the first warning sign…which might be a heart attack.

Heart disease is the number one killer of people with diabetes.  Chronically high blood glucose causes blood vessel and nerve damage, but since it’s commonly at least 5 to 6 years before someone with type 2 diabetes is diagnosed with the disease, the damage to the micro-arteries and nerves occurs before the person even has a chance to take action to control it.  Unfortunately, once the damage is done, it’s not reversible, and prevention is a better option than treatment. 

Overweight children and heart disease risk

The epidemic of childhood obesity is a global problem, not restricted to “western” countries.  In countries such as China and India, well-known for their problems with under-nutrition, today are faced with escalating rates of obesity…especially in kids. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1 billion adults are overweight - and at least 300 million of them are clinically obese. Current obesity levels range from below 5% in China, Japan and certain African nations, to over 75% in urban Samoa. But even in relatively low prevalence countries like China, rates are almost 20% in some cities.

Childhood obesity is already epidemic in some areas and on the rise in others. An estimated 22 million children under five are estimated to be overweight worldwide. According to the US Surgeon General, in the USA the number of overweight children has doubled and the number of overweight adolescents has trebled since 1980. The prevalence of obese children aged 6-to-11 years has more than doubled since the 1960s. Obesity prevalence in youths aged 12-17 has increased dramatically from 5% to 13% in boys and from 5% to 9% in girls between 1966-70 and 1988-91 in the USA. The problem is global and increasingly extends into the developing world; for example, in Thailand the prevalence of obesity in 5-to-12 year olds children rose from 12.2% to 15-6% in just two years.

Malnutrition today means kids are eating huge amounts of un-nutritious refined carbs and fatty foods, soda and fried foods.  Lack of activity directly correlates to increased weight and obesity.  All people, kids and adults, suffer from inactivity, but kids spend most of their day sitting prone in front of a television or computer screen than they do running ‘round and burning calories.  Overweight is an independent risk factor for type 2 diabetes.  According to Dr. Stephen R. Daniels of The Children’s Hospital of Denver, Colorado, obesity in childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood may accelerate the development of atherosclerosis, increasing the risk for heart attack and stroke.

Before Birth

Parents, take an unflinching look at yourself, for the sake of your health…and for your unborn child’s.  Attain and maintain a healthy weight by permanently adopting a lifestyle that includes a healthy diet and regular activity.  A good option is a personalized meal plan and fitness plan that considers your unique food preferences and lifestyle provides guidance and expert and team support as you adopt your healthy lifestyle habits. 

Screening

The American Diabetes Association recommends a blood test for everyone age 45 or over to screen for diabetes.  Pre-diabetes is a condition that means your blood glucose is higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. 

Two blood tests determine pre-diabetes:

FBG:  Fasting Blood Glucose: after an overnight or minimum 8-hour fast, your blood glucose should be between 70-100 mg/dL.  A reading of 101-125 is called pre-diabetes, or impaired fasting glucose (IFG).

OGT: Oral Glucose Tolerance Test:  You drink a concentrated glucose solution after fasting 8 hours, and then have your blood drawn before drinking the solution, then an hour later, and then again after 2 more hours, to test your insulin response. Pre-diabetes if your blood glucose researchers 140-199 mg/dL.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 41 million U.S. adults between ages 40-74 have undiagnosed pre-diabetes.  For the majority of those who don’t change their lifestyle and adopt a healthier diet and regular activity habit, diabetes is most likely in their future, and the risk is increased for complications including heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and amputation.  Take action…now!  Do it, because you can prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.  Other signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes may include:

• Constant hunger
• Unexplained weight loss
• Weight gain
• Flu-like symptoms, including weakness and fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Slow healing of cuts or bruises
• Tingling or loss of feeling in hands or feet
• Recurring infections of your gums or skin
• Recurring vaginal or bladder infections

Susan L. Burke, M.S., R.D., L.D., CDE, is the Chief Nutritionist at eDiets.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:DIET) and serves as a Healthy Kids’ Catalog Advisory Board member. She can be reached through the Company’s Web site at www.HealthyKidsCatalog.com.