Youth Diabetes Type 2

This document provides a teaching plan for youth diabetes type 2, including its pathophysiology, risk factors, prevention, and management of complications. It also discusses the epidemiology of the disease and evaluates the teaching experience and community response.

Running Head: Youth Diabetes Type 2 1
Youth Diabetes Type 2
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Summary of youth diabetes type 2 teaching plan
Learning objective: To improve the detection of diabetes type 2 in youth, its pathophysiology,
its risk factors, prevention and management of related complications.
The projected time for the teaching session is about 3 hours. During the first hour, I will
briefly give a summary of what diabetes type 2 is and its pathophysiology. First I will include a
description of the pathophysiology of the disease that the balance between insulin secretion and
sensitivity to insulin in adipose tissue, liver, and skeletal muscle helps in the maintenance of
Glucose homeostasis. When insulin sensitivity decreases, insulin secretion should increase to
ensure glucose tolerance is maintained, and, in most youth, declined insulin sensitivity as a result
of puberty and/or obesity is balanced by raised insulin secretion (Szablewski, 2011). Next, I will
explain that obesity and overweight are key acquired contributors to the advancement of insulin
resistance, specifically in the face of the physiologic insulin resistance features of puberty
(Davies, Fitzgerald , & Mousouli, 2008).
In the second hour I will discuss the various risk factors for youth type 2 diabetes which
comprises of nonmodifiable factors such as genetics/epigenetics, due to family history of type 2
diabetes may be in first or second class relatives; Being born from a pregnancy which had
gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) complications; physiologic insulin resistance of puberty,
and minority ethnicity or race (Kim, 2019). On the other hand, key modifiable factors include
lifestyle habits and obesity. Lifestyle habits like surplus nutritional intake, more sedentary
behaviors, poor physical activity, and declined energy expenditure, resulting in the storing of
excess energy as body fat. Other possible modifiable risk factors for youth diabetes type 2 are
depressed mood or chronic stress and sleep-associated disorders (Becker, 2015).

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In the last hour, I will discuss the prevention and management of related complications
that there are increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity risks in the onset of Youth
diabetes type 2 that those diagnosed later. The advanced complication risk in the onset of the
disease is possibly associated with extended lifetime exposure to hyperglycemia and more
atherogenic risk factors comprising chronic inflammation, hypertension, insulin resistance, and
dyslipidemia. The prevention measures for some of these complications include screening, blood
tests such as lipid tests, intensive lifestyle interventions, and others (LeRoith, 2012).
The epidemiological rationale for topic
In the past, it was thought that type 2 diabetes is a metabolic condition absolutely of
adulthood but it has increasingly become more frequent among obese adolescents. This disease
occurs in all races despite previous observations that it is more prevalent among Hispanics,
Native Americans, and African Americans. Studies indicate that type 2 diabetes greatly varies by
ethnicity among children and adolescents, with extreme rates among youth of 15-19 years of age
in minority populations (Jayakumar, Bhavani, & Pavithran, 2013). Youth type 2 diabetes has
been reported not only in America but also worldwide. For instance, in Japan, 80% of all
diabetes new cases in adolescents and children were detected as diabetes type 2. In contrast,
Australia has 25 % incidences of youth diabetes type 2 among children and adolescents (Ekoé,
2008).
Additionally, despite some studies supporting the concept that the disease has a higher
prevalence in the ethnic groups with high risk, diabetes type 2 accounts for 14.9% of most
diabetes cases in white non-Hispanic adolescents (Wu & Ovid Technologies, 2010). Also, there
is an increased prevalence of diabetes type 2 among obese children population which is

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paralleled by a raised prevalence of prediabetes disorders. Precisely, 25% and 21% of children
and adolescents respectively with a severe level of obesity were found having the disease
regardless of ethnicity. Subsequently, such high prevalence rates among obese Hispanic children
and adolescents have been reported. Similar cases have been reported among Italian youths
where the prevalence of diabetes type 2 among obese or overweight children and adolescents to
be 14.8% and 4.1% respectively (World Health Organization, 2016).
Evaluation of teaching experience
During the session, I engaged participants to understand if there are some who are at risk
of developing diabetes type 2 maybe as a result of family history in relation to the disease. I also
inquired about what preventive measures they are taking to prevent or manage the disease.
Concerning the topic, 60% of the participants were conversant with the topic but only 25% were
taking preventive measures. From the topic, it was clear that physical activity is a primary
contributing factor for numerous major diseases as well as youth type 2 diabetes. However, most
participants were not engaged in any physical exercise despite the fact that it is essential in
decreasing type 2 diabetes modifiable risk factors. Consequently, nutrition is also a key factor in
preventing this disease because it is associated with eating disorders which leads to increased
weight hence obesity. Nevertheless, most of the participants do not monitor fat intake levels.
Additionally, from the topic, we discussed type 2 diabetes nonmodifiable risk factors which can
be prevented by screening, blood tests, and regular clinical checkups. Unfortunately, most of the
participants who are not affected by the disease genetically do not go for medical clinics.
Community response to teaching

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The community engaged in the teaching embraced the program as it enlightened them on
youth type 2 diabetes. They were able to understand the various modifiable and nonmodifiable
risk factors associated with the disease. They felt encouraged to exercise more to facilitate the
breakdown of stored fat which will prevent obesity. Also, they understood the purpose of
limiting the intakes of foods with high sugar and fat levels, increasing the intake of fruits and
vegetables and drinking a lot of water. Also, participants appreciated the aim of the pre-diabetes
screening and blood tests felt that it is necessary to go for medical checkups. Consequently, they
emphasized on developing friendships aimed at encouraging one another and creating awareness
about the possible risk factors and how to avoid them. Participants who have a family history of
the disease reported that they felt worried because of being at risk due to underlying genetic
factors but they were motivated to change their lifestyles so as to prevent. All participants
affirmed that the session was motivating and it was helpful and therefore they will educate
others.
Areas of strengths and areas of improvement
Developing an education program would be embraced by the community. It is possible to
prevent youth type 2 diabetes by adopting a healthy lifestyle and attending prediabetes screening.
Also physical activity among the children and adolescents is a key factor. Community based
physical activity program among the youths should be improved. It should be recommended that
children and adolescents should engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily, much of
which should be vigorous or moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity. Also, youth peer-led
interventions should be improved as they are important in behavior interventions which will
influence many weight- associated behaviors among adolescents. This can be beneficial for the
participants on areas such as fat intake, fruit and vegetable intake, and sedentary activities.

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Moreover, youth health interventions should also be improved which are aimed at engaging the
youth to promote program participation. This program can effectively help in reinforcing disease
management behaviors (Shah, 2014).

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References
Becker, G. (2015). The first year--Type 2 diabetes : an essential guide for the newly diagnosed. Boston,
MA : Da Capo Lifelong Books, a member of the Perseus Books Group.
Davies, H. D., Fitzgerald , H. E., & Mousouli, V. (2008). Obesity in childhood and adolescence. Westport,
Conn: Praeger.
Ekoé, J. -M. (2008). The epidemiology of diabetes mellitus. Chichester, UK ; Hoboken, NJ : Wiley-
Blackwell.
Jayakumar, R. V., Bhavani, N., & Pavithran, P. V. (2013). Diabetes in children and adolescents. New Delhi :
Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd.
Kim, G. (2019). Pediatric Type II diabetes. St. Louis, Missouri : Elsevier.
LeRoith, D. (2012). Prevention of type 2 diabetes : from science to therapy. New York, NY : Springer.
Shah, J. H. (2014). Improving diabetes care in the clinic. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers
(P) Ltd.
Szablewski, L. (2011). Glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance. Saif Zone, Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates: Bentham Science Publishers.
World Health Organization. (2016). Global report on diabetes. Geneva, Switzerland : World Health
Organization.
Wu, G., & Ovid Technologies, I. (2010). Diabetic retinopathy : the essentials. Philadelphia, Pa.: Wolters
Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Health.