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Kids and teenagers who caught COVID are more likely to develop diabetes, says study
A newly published study has discovered that kids and teenagers who contracted coronavirus are far more likely to develop diabetes, with obese kids in particular seeing a 100% increase.
Even as China allegedly cures diabetes for the first time, millions of people are keeping their eyes peeled for new treatment methods and management strategies. Currently, it’s reported that Type 2 diabetes can be reversed through a diet change.
Kids were more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes after COVID
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes that occurs when the body can’t produce enough insulin or cells don’t respond properly to it. While there are a range of treatment options available, including potato skins to treat diabetes, the primary options are a lifestyle change and medication.
In a new piece of research published in JAMA Network Open on Monday, scientists concluded that Children were 50% more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes around six months after contracting the coronavirus compared to other respiratory infections.
To reach this conclusion, researchers pooled medical records of 60,000 kids and teenagers aged 10 to 19 from January 2020 to December 2022. They were then categorized into two groups: those who tested positive for COVID and those who experienced other respiratory illnesses like influenza and bronchitis.
This is a huge spike, said Pauline Terebuh, the studys lead. If a child is getting diagnosed with diabetes, they have a long life to carry that chronic disease.
There was a correlation between COVID and a diabetes diagnosis
The researchers soon found that kids and teenagers were more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes if they had tested positive for COVID earlier. The trend was particularly concerning in obese children, who were 100% more likely to develop diabetes.
The researchers acknowledged some drawbacks to the study, including the use of health records that came before the vaccine was approved for kids by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
While it’s important to be aware of scientific advancements and breakthroughs, this newest piece of research should not spark panic among parents. Just because your kid had COVID, doesn’t mean diabetes is right around the corner.
Steven M. Willi, director of the diabetes center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, told the Washington Post that a range of other factors could point to the diabetes diagnosis like reduced physical exercise due to lockdowns.
“For some kids, the only exercise they get is when they go to school,” he added.
