Rate Of Childhood Diabetes Predicted To Rise 10%

Type 1 diabetes in Aussie kids is high by international standards, an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report has found, ranking Australia seventh in the OECD in terms of prevalence.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare study has shown that 10- to 14-year-olds are most likely to be sufferers.

University of NSW’s diabetes expert Maria Craig says their research showed four reasons for the increase in the disease: common stomach bugs, rapid weight gain in early infancy, cows' milk baby formula, and vitamin D deficiency.

The study predicts that by 2013, 153 in every 100,000 Aussie children will have Type 1 diabetes, which is a 10 per cent increase on the 2008 rate of 138 children per 100,000.

While there is no significant difference between boys and girls, the incidence of Type 1 diabetes increases with age. More than 250 kids per 100,000 aged 10-14 had the disease in 2008, compared with 30 per 100, 000 in the 0-4 age group.

Type 1 diabetes is when the body cannot produce insulin and therefore can’t turn sugar into energy, burning its own fats instead. Sufferers need to inject themselves with insulin up to four times a day.

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