Type 2 Diabetes in Children - Prevention
Healthy meals, physical activity, and weight control can help prevent diabetes or can prevent or delay complications if your child has diabetes. A registered dietitian can help you build a healthy meal plan for your child. Your doctor, exercise specialist, or certified diabetes educator also can help your child find ways to become more physically active.
Weight loss is
appropriate if your child is overweight and he or she has reached adult height.
In some severe cases, weight loss before your child reaches his or her full
adult height may be needed. See the
Interactive Tool: What Is Your Child's BMI? 
Having a blood sugar level that is higher than normal but not yet at the level of diabetes (prediabetes) increases a child's risk for type 2 diabetes. One study found that 13% of adolescents who were very overweight had high blood sugar.6 If your child has prediabetes, eating a healthy diet and increasing physical exercise may make his or her blood sugar return to a normal range and possibly prevent type 2 diabetes. Your child will still need to see a doctor regularly to check for signs of the disease.
Studies have shown that lifestyle changes can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes in adults.7 But experts are not sure whether lifestyle changes will have the same effect in children. Studies on preventing type 2 diabetes in children and teens are ongoing. Some clinical trials show that a program of physical activity and healthy eating can decrease insulin resistance and control blood glucose.8
Diabetes prevention may begin in infancy: some evidence shows that breast-feeding lowers a child's risk of developing diabetes.9
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Type 2 Diabetes in Children Topics
Is This Normal? Get the Facts Fast!
Answer:
0-69
70-130
131+
Your level is currently
If the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. A quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. If not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor.
People who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. It's important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Congratulations on taking steps to manage your health.
However, it's important to continue to track your numbers so that you can make lifestyle changes if needed. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Your level is high if this reading was taken before eating. Aim for 70-130 before meals and less than 180 two hours after meals.
Even if your number is high, it's not too late for you to take control of your health and lower your blood sugar.
One of the first steps is to monitor your levels each day. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Did You Know Your Lifestyle Choices
Affect Your Blood Sugar?
Use the Blood Glucose Tracker to monitor
how well you manage your blood sugar over time.
This tool is not intended for women who are pregnant.
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