Children of Mothers With Type 1 Diabetes At Higher Risk Of Being Overweight : Study

Are you a young mother with type 1 diabetes? If the recent study is to be believed, children born to mothers with Type-1 diabetes are at significantly higher risk of being overweight and of exhibiting insulin resistance. The study was published in the journal Diabetologia.

"Our study shows that children of mothers with Type-1 diabetes are not only at significantly higher risk of having the condition itself, but are also at greater risk of being overweight and developing insulin resistance," said one of the researchers Anette-Gabriele Ziegler from Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich-Neuherberg.

"We would therefore advise that paediatricians should bear this correlation in mind, so that they can react on early warning signs in such children," Ziegler added. 

For the study, the data collected from 2,800 children with a first-degree relative with Type-1 diabetes was studied. Type-1 diabetes is generally diagnosed in childhood, occurs when the immune system destroys the cells that produce insulin. It was already known that children of parents with Type-1 diabetes are at much higher risk of developing the disease than the rest of the population, but the fact that the condition may also induce morbid weight gain needed further investigation.

"Their metabolic status and body weight were tracked up to the age of 18," said lead author Anitha Pitchika from Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen.

"Moreover, there were also sporadic indications from previous studies that children of mothers with Type-1 diabetes are also at increased risk of having metabolic syndrome, as the intermittent high blood glucose levels in the uterus appear to have long-term effects on the child's metabolism and body weight," explained Andreas Beyerlein from Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen.

In this study, the researchers investigated this hypothesis with a large dataset and found that children of mothers with Type-1 diabetes had a significantly higher body mass index than children from mothers without diabetes.

Type-1 diabetes can be managed with the right dietary tweaks. Here are some natural remedies that may help.

1. Follow a balanced diet with complex carbs

According to Preeti Rao, Health and Wellness Coach, eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean protein and good sources of fat is very essential for diabetes management. One must avoid trans fats (also called hydrogenated fat), processed food, and sugar and up intake of complex carbs. Complex carbohydrates are rich in fiber and are not highly processed like refined carbohydrates. They take longer to digest and hence provide a sustained source of energy for a longer duration.

2. Keep yourself hydrated

Ditch sugary and aerated drinks and find your resources to be hydrated in natural sources. Drink at least 7-8 glasses of water every day. Eat lots of fruits and sip decaffeinated herbal tea to keep yourself getting dehydrated. Coconut water and chaas are also good options. Dehydration can drive up blood sugar levels.

3. Eat less unhealthy fats

Cut back on the saturated fats and full-fat dairy like milk and butter. Unhealthy fats raise your chance of heart disease. With diabetes, you tend to face higher than average odds of getting heart disease.

4. Get enough fibre in your diet

Fibrous diet may help control blood sugar levels. You can get fibre from whole grains, beans and fruits and vegetables.

5. Cut down processed sugars

While natural sugars are okay ocassionally, processed and refined sugars are harmful for diabetics. Try eating more jaggery, raw honey and fruits in case you are craving for something sweet. 

(With Inputs from IANS)