HHS SAYS MANY MEXICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN ON THEIR WAY TO EARLY DIABETES

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMANS SERVICES 
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Data on Mexican-American children indicates many are headed early toward diabetes and other health problems. Scientists at Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio examined 670 children ages 6 to 17. The researchers found a striking proportion had metabolic syndrome – warning signs of diabetes, such as belly fat and high levels of blood sugar and insulin.

Investigator Ravindranath Duggirala:

“Experiencing metabolic syndrome and related risk factors this early in life significantly increases risk of developing hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other chronic health problems years earlier than might otherwise have been expected.”

The study in the journal Human Genetics was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at healthfinder.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.