My struggle and what you should know

By Thomas Birai, Osseo Senior High School

Emma Weber is one teenager who’s not likely to “pig out” on junk food — at least not more than once in awhile. She pays too big a price. The 16-year-old junior at Osseo Senior High School has Type 1 diabetes and there’s nothing she could have done to prevent it. Her pancreas doesn’t produce insulin, the hormone needed to process sugar. All she can do is watch her diet carefully, inject insulin ands exercise. That’s exactly what she’s doing. She gives herself an insulin shot right through the fabric of her shirt or blouse. She’s open about telling anyone of her diabetes. And she gets the necessary exercise, some of it from her intra-mural soccer games. She knows when she’s not been careful enough.

“I went to the doctor and got my A1C number (the three-month blood sugar average). It was really high,” she said. “Then I knew I’ve got to watch what I eat.”

Weber could not have prevented getting diabetes. Unlike her, thousands of teenagers may be able to keep themselves from turning into diabetics, getting Type 2 diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes.

According to the Web site Kids Health, studies indicate that between eight and 45 percent of children who’ve been recently diagnosed with diabetes have Type 2. The main reason, according to the National Dairy Council, is obesity. One study showed that 92 percent of all adolescents and teens with Type 2 diabetes were significantly overweight. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, however, shows obesity-linked childhood diabetes to be rare.

Whatever the findings, too many teenagers eat too much of processed foods, said Darlene Kvist, a licensed nutritionist at the Nutritional Weight and Wellness Center in St. Paul. She recommends drinking water instead of soda, eating fresh fruit instead of candy or chips.

I know something about eating right because I was obese once, my diet was abysmal and my exercise habits nonexistent. Although I have Type 1 diabetes, I do all I can to control my blood sugar level.

I must eat right and give myself insulin shots. If I had a choice of taking care of myself or developing diabetes, it would be a no-brainer. The complications from Type 2 diabetes include hypertension, kidney disease, loss of sight and nerve disorders. These complications can cause a premature death.

The recommended exercise for teenagers, according to nutritionist Kvist, is, 20 minutes after each meal. I doubt this is being done in this age of video games, Web site hookups and flat-screen television sets.

I’m doing my best to follow the rules to keep my diabetes in check. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in Minnesota CDC.Gov.

I already have the disease. My desire is to help others avoid getting it. I manage diabetes, but sometimes it’s a hassle. Other teenagers won’t have to worry about this if they watch what they eat, stay on the move and be aware of the problem.

Don’t let a preventable disease get control of your life and your lifestyle.