Time to spot signs of diabetes in kids

Diabetes is a global epidemic that concerns every family. Spotting the warning signs is vital to prevent the life-threatening complications associated with the condition. Yet this is much easier said than done because parents are struggling to spot the warning signs of diabetes in their own children.

New research from the International Diabetes Federation shows that an alarming nine in 10 Chinese parents (89 percent) would have trouble identifying the warning signs, despite the majority of people surveyed (70 percent) having a family member with diabetes. One in four (24 percent) would not be able to spot them at all. In response, the IDF is urging parents and other family members to test their knowledge of diabetes through a new online assessment.

The research comprised an online survey of 7,000 people, consisting of statistical representations from the United Kingdom, Brazil, China, India, South Africa, Turkey and the United States. National representative quotas were applied for gender, age (18 to 65 years old) and region. And 46 percent of those surveyed were parents with at least one child aged below 18 years.