By : Risfa Aliya Al-Hadi (Student Department of Chemistry, Palangka Raya University)
According to the Indonesian Ministry of Health in 2019, diabetes mellitus or often known as diabetes is a metabolic disorder caused by increased blood sugar levels that are above normal values.
Diabetes has become a threat to Indonesian society, especially children. In 2023, the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) stated that diabetes cases in children have increased by up to 70 times since 2010. It was recorded that diabetes cases in children reached 2 per 100,000 people, as of January 2023.
Several types of diabetes suffered by Indonesian children are type 1 and type 2 diabetes. However, type 1 diabetes is the most common case suffered by children compared to type 2. Type 1 diabetes is usually caused by genetic and autoimmune factors. Meanwhile, type 2 diabetes is caused by an unhealthy lifestyle.
Often at this age children have the habit of consuming sweet foods and drinks. Children who like sweet flavors will unknowingly develop an addiction. This is in line with the increasing production of sweet foods and drinks. In fact, eating and drinking sweet drinks can increase the risk of developing diabetes mellitus.
Apart from that, unhealthy food patterns can also increase the risk of diabetes. Quoted from Sonta Imelda 2019, lifestyle in urban environments often makes people tend to consume foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar. Then, the instant food pattern currently popular with the public can also result in increased glucose levels in the blood.
Another factor that can cause diabetes mellitus is heredity. However, type 2 diabetes mellitus is often associated with a family history compared to type 1. By knowing the factors that cause diabetes mellitus, society should start to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining children’s diet so that it is better. Apart from that, the importance of maintaining sugar intake in children can also reduce the risk of diabetes mellitus. These things are also supported by physical activity such as exercise. Source: alodokter.com
Like this:
