Covid pandemic linked to surge in child and teen diabetes | Hacker News Reader

Covid pandemic linked to surge in child and teen diabetes

bbc.com

12 pointscolinprince5 comments

There's a couple interesting hypotheses in that article I wouldn't have thought of. However, I think they left out an obvious culprit, the lockdown meant that kids were home all day, which means less physical activity, and possibly a worse diet eating at home as well. One kid I know, used to be slim and running around all the time. I didn't see him for over a year after the pandemic began, gained 30 lbs and just played video games all day. His mom let him eat whatever he wanted, which was mostly junk food, and plenty of it.

Many children likely have a predisposition to developing diabetes, but they don't due to good diet and exercise. Take that away, and you'll see a significant rise in childhood diabetes. I'm not saying this is the sole cause of all these cases, but it also seems like a glaringly obvious omission.

I believe you are confusing Type I diabetes and Type II diabetes.

Type I diabetes your immune system destroys your insulin producing cells. You need to provided all of your insulin via injection/pump.

Type II diabetes is more akin to insulin resistance / inability to produce the correct amount of insulin. (It is more subtle then this in reality). Type II diabetes is tied to levels of activity and food (esp high sugar) intake.

In Type I diabetes, there is usually a genetic component as well as an environment event which causes the unfortunate autoimmune response. This article is talking specifically about a significant uptick in Type I diabetes cases.

Yep, I feel pretty dumb right now. Annoyingly I can't edit my comment now, but please disregard it.

> Another hypothesis is that exposure to some germs in childhood can help guard against a number of conditions, including diabetes. Some scientists believe it is possible that lockdowns and physical distancing during Covid meant many children did not get sufficient exposure to germs and missed out on this additional protection.

If this turns out to be true then lockdowns are truly the biggest crime against humanity since WW2 if it’s not already anyway.

My nephew was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after a COVID infection. it's interesting to finally see the numbers on this infection rate.

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