Diabetes in Children and Pregnant Women

In the previous blog post, I shared some information about dietary approach for type-2 diabetes. Today, I want to share my thoughts about diabetes that happens in pregnant women and children.

Diabetes among children or teenagers is quite rare, unless a child has juvenile diabetes – which is type-1 diabetes in children. The treatment of such diabetes includes taking insulin and taking good care with nutrient rich diet for growth.

Here are five principles of dietary planning for children and adolescents with juvenile diabetes:

• Meals and healthy snacks should be eaten at specific times.
• Foods high in sugar as well as refined carbs should be avoided or eaten in small quantity.
• Limit the amount of cholesterol rich food and saturated fats.
• Avoid fasting.
• Follow doctor’s prescription for insulin dosage and timing to control bool sugar levels.

Gestational Diabetes

Diabetes can cause problems during pregnancy for women and their developing babies.Poor control of diabetes increases the chances of complications during pregnancy and child birth.

Gestational Diabetes is first seen women who did not have diabetes before pregnancy. If it does not go away after baby’s birth, it can be called Type-2 diabetes induced by pregnancy.

Even if it is gone after birth of the child, research finds that 50% of these women may develop Type-2 diabetes later in life.

To prevent onset of diabetes during pregnancy, it is important to:

• Focus on living a healthy lifestyle even before conceiving
• Continue light exercises during pregnancy
• Eat nutritious and healthy diet during and after pregnancy to prevent getting Type-2 Diabetes.

Being a mother is a privilege of a lifetime, and it is therefore necessary to plan it well in terms of living a healthy lifestyle before conceiving, during pregnancy and after the birth of a child.

After all, healthy parents raise healthy kids!