Risk Factors

                                                                             (Google Clip Art, 2015)

Diabetes mellitus is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide (Akter, Rahman, Krull Abe, & Sultana, 2014). Knowing how diabetes can affect your health can help you look after your body and prevent complications. Risk factors for diabetes are having a family history, lack of exercise, not eating a healthy well balanced diet, being overweight (low physical activity). Of the common risk factors of diabetes, the only one that you cannot control is family history (Diabetes.co.uk, n.d. a).

Video:
Here is a short video on diabetes risk factors.

Complications:

There are many complications of diabetes for children and adolescents some of them are kidney failure, loss of vision and complete blindness, diabetic coma, cardiovascular problems, cancer, skin problems, and high blood pressure (Diabetes.co.uk, n.d.b).

An important complication noted above, in diabetes, is kidney failure. It is referred to as diabetic kidney disease. Studies have shown that diabetes is responsible for children and adolescents having kidney failure which can require dialysis (Hill & Fogarty, 2012).  The kidneys act as a filter for our body, it removes waste products from the blood (National Kidney Foundation, n.d.). Controlling your diabetes can prevent diabetic kidney disease. 

In regards to high blood pressure, checking your blood pressure is one of the most important things you can do if you have diabetes (Joslin Diabetes Center, n.d.). Please note that when you have high blood pressure, you have too much force of blood on your arterial walls, when this happens you do not get the right amount of oxygen to your vital organs like your brain, your heart, kidneys, and lungs (Mayo Clinic, n.d.). Controlling your diabetes can prevent kidney disease, high blood pressure, and other complications noted above

Recommendations:

It is common for most children and adolescents with diabetes to develop complications if it is not controlled. It is recommended by all health care providers that you control your diabetes. Children and adolescents with good diabetes control, who have a healthy and active lifestyle, can prevent complications of diabetes such as kidney failure and high blood pressure.

                                       

References

Akter, S., Rahman, M. M., Krull Abe, S., & Sultana, P. (2014). Prevalence of diabetes and   prediabetes and their risk factors among Bangladeshi adults: A nationwide survey. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 92(3), 204-213A. http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.13.128371

Diabetes.co.uk (n.d. a). Diabetes complications.

Retrieved March 1, 2015 from http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-complications/diabetes-complications.html

Diabetes.co.uk (n.d. b). Diabetes risk Factors. Retrieved 
         from http://www.diabetes.co.uk/Diabetes-Risk-factors.html

Google Clip Art (2015). [jpeg]. Diabetes Risk Factors. Retrieved from

           http://www.idf.org/sites/default/files/pictures/infographic-
           risk-factors-600px.jpg

Healthy ojas. [Ojas]. (2013, November, 25). Diabetes Risk Factors 
         [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com
         /watch?v=dLD9GSmg14

Hill, C. J., & Fogarty, D. G. (2012). Changing trends in end-stage renal disease due to diabetes in the United Kingdom. Journal of Renal Care, 3812-22. http://dx.doi:10.1111/j.1755-6686.2012.00273.x

Joslin Diabetes Center (n.d.) Stay healthy with diabetes. Retrieved March 4, 2015 from

            http://www.joslin.org/info/blood_pressure.html?gclid=CM-WuMGsj8QCFViUfgodepEAIg

Mayo Clinic (n.d.). Diabetes and conditions: High blood pressure. Retrieved March 4, 2015

            from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/basics/definition/con-20019580

National Kidney Foundation (n.d.). Diabetes a major risk factor for kidney disease. Retrieved March 4, 2015 from https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/diabetes