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CNN Live Today

Growing Number of Teens at Risk for Type-II Diabetes

Aired May 14, 2002 - 14:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Medical news now.

About 16 million Americans are at risk for developing type-II diabetes, and a growing number of those are teenagers.

Our medical correspondent, Christie Fyke (ph), now looks at which teens are at risk, and why this disease is so dangerous for so many.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIE FYKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT:: When Suhay Dominges (ph) was diagnosed with type-II diabetes three years ago, she had the classic symptoms.

SUHAY DOMINGES (ph), DIABETIC TEEN: Numbness. I had to drink a lot of water. You felt always thirsty. Peed a lot.

FYKE: It's called a adult onset diabetes, because it generally strikes people in 40's and 50's, but Suhay (ph) is just 18, and managing this disease as a teen is tough.

DOMINGES: You go out, you know, and you can't eat what you want to east. You go do the movies, you can't have a popcorn. It is very hard. You have to take your own Rice Crispy cake, you know, low fat.

FYKE: But she isn't alone. The American Diabetes Association says type-II diabetes in teens is reaching epidemic proportions.

The triggers: being overweight and sedentary.

DR. ELDA ARCE, CHILDREN'S NATL. MEDICAL CENTER: Kids are no longer playing. They are watching television. They are playing videogames. They don't go out to play with their friends.

FYKE: If diabetes isn't managed, it's bad news for these kids down the road.

DR. CHRISTOPHER SAUDEK, AMERICAN DIABETES ASSN.: Long-term complications include blindness. They include kidney failure. They include trouble with your feet and potentially amputations. And the biggest long-term complication that really has not been adequately emphasized, I think, is heart disease.

FYKE: Doctors say the best way to reduce your teens risk is exercise. And for the non-athletic teen, they recommend activity that is fun, not competitive.

In Washington, I'm Christie Fyke.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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