Diabetes age of onset used to be a prime factor in determining the types of diabetes an individual had in addition to risk factors. For instance, if an eight year old had diabetes, one could generally assume he or she suffered from type 1 diabetes while a forty eight year old was probably a type 2 diabetic. The key to age onset diabetes was not simply one’s age but the risks they accumulated, as they grew older versus what virus or infections they were exposed to as a child. As such, most people who develop type 2 diabetes do so over a gradual period through poor habits like smoking tobacco or not exercising.
These lifestyle choices lead to blood vessel constriction, heart damage, and stroke, which increase an individual’s risk factor for conceiving diabetes, as well as complicating the disease. Children are unlikely to have these habits, so type 2 used to be rare in anyone other than adults. As the rates of obesity is rising and statistics show that one in three Americans are either overweight or obese, diabetes onset age no longer is limited to those in their thirties or older. Children who are inactive and consume large quantities of sugar and fast food are highly vulnerable to contracting type 2 diabetes.
Ninety percent of all diabetics are type 2, but just as this category can affect any age group, so can type 1. It is rare to see older individuals receive a diagnosis of type 1, but it can happen. Researchers believe vitamin deficiencies, viruses, or infections cause Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition in which the beta cells of the pancreas attack its own cells and stop producing insulin. As researchers are not certain what cause it, they cannot rule out the possibility that any demographic is safe from it.
Age Onset Diabetes Symptoms
Age onset diabetes symptoms are the same for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes; however, the rate of progression is different. In type 1, what was formerly juvenile diabetes, the onset is sudden versus in type 2 diabetes where the rate of progression is slow. The classic symptoms of diabetes are an excessive thirst and need to urinate. Individuals will become dehydrated due to their overworked kidneys and they will feel it with a desire to drink more fluids. In turn, they will need to go to the bathroom more often as well as to flush out the toxins that the kidneys are trying to remove. Some people are perceived as “having small bladders” and use the restroom more frequently than other people do, so a good indicator of this symptom is getting up two or three times in the middle of the night to use the restroom.
Other symptoms that may present are being ravenous, weight loss, recurrent infections or slow to heal wounds, and blurred vision. Any combination of the symptoms indicates that an individual is experiencing high levels of blood sugar and they need to seek medical treatment immediately. Waiting to see if their condition resolves itself can be dangerous and fatal.
Juvenile Diabetes Age of Onset
Juvenile diabetes age of onset can occur when a child is very young, so it is important that the child and their caregivers are educated on keeping the patient healthy. Following careful guidelines is vital in preventing ketoacidosis from occurring. Although type 1 diabetes is not a result of poor eating habits, it is important that the sufferer follow a strict diet. He or she should avoid sugary foods that could negatively influence their glucose levels and eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, proteins, and complex carbohydrates. Vigorous daily exercise is a key element in maintaining a healthy regime. Reducing episodes will diminish their risk of severe damage and other diseases.
