Be Alert! Cases Of Child Diabetes In Semarang Up Significant

Illustration of children in hospital treatment

SEMARANG - Semarang City Health Office, Central Java said the findings of diabetes mellitus (DM) cases in children in the region had increased significantly.

Based on data from the Health Office, the findings of DM in children in 2022 were recorded at 377 cases, an increase compared to the findings in 2021 of 269 cases.

The head of the Semarang City Health Office, Dr. Abdul Hakam, in Semarang, Friday, explained that the DM is divided into types 1 and 2, while the data is a combination of the two, all of which are children.

In detail, DM's findings in children in 2021 consist of 27 cases of DM depending on insulin and 242 cases of DM that do not depend on insulin.

In 2022, 33 cases of insulin-dependent DM will be, while 344 cases will not depend on insulin.

Hakam explained that type 1 DM attacks children by autoimmune from birth resulting in abnormalities in the pancreatic, even though the pancreatic produces insulin.

"If the insulin cannot be produced, the blood sugar must be high. Therefore, it requires insulin so that blood sugar levels or from the food consumed become glucose. Glucose is needed for cells with DM for their energy," he explained.

Because the pancreatic is experiencing disturbances or damage that makes it unable to produce insulin, he said, insulin is needed from outside which is inserted by injection.

"Therefore, don't be surprised that a small child has to inject insulin before eating. Because (insulin, ed.) it is needed so that when he eats it becomes glucose and it enters the cells in his body," he said.

For type 2 DM, he said that previously many people aged 60 years and over were found, but recently many of these cases were found at a young age.

"The more we come here, the age rate (type 2 DM sufferers, ed.) is more advanced. Because of their lifestyle, eating patterns are not carried out in a healthy manner. They want'mager' (lazy movement), eat well," he said.

Moreover, he said, culinary services are now so advanced that it is possible to order food online, without the need to go to the selling outlets.

"Pola-pola seperti ini diperbaiki. pola hidup milenial, pola makannya. Bagaimana badan tetap sehat terjaga keseimbangan malukinya, diimbangi dengan aktivitas. Jadi, benar-benar bersimbang," katanya.