Chinese children at higher risk for diabetes

The survey made by Children’s Hospital of Fudan University shows an average of 1.7 children per 100 thousand suffered diabetes in Shanghai from 1997 to 2000, while the ratio in the same area in 1980s was only 0.61 per 100 thousand.

According to the survey, 90 per cent of the child diabetes patients under-14 suffered from Type-I diabetes, a chronic disease usually occurs among juvenile when the pancreas produces too little insulin to regulate blood glucose levels appropriately.

The causes of diabetes are complex, however, medical experts believe unbalanced diet, autoimmune failure, descendiblity and environmental factors are involved.

Type-I diabetics need to take insulin on a daily basis, or, diabetes can lapse into a life-threatening diabetic coma, known as Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

Type-I diabetics usually choose clinic treatment rather than hospitalisation since expenses to cure diabetes is not covered by social medical insurance in China.

Experts suggested the government should list diabetes, like cancer and leucocythemia, in medical care system in the near future, the newspaper said.