Note from Connie: Increasing rates of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes reveal that China is catching up with the West in more ways than just economically. Karen James brings you the news.
According to a recent story from Reuters, the Chinese state media recently reported that in a study of 17,000 children ages eight to 18, more than one in five were classified as obese and more than two percent had type 2 diabetes.
Reuters even quoted a professor speaking on the dangerous trend.
"The number of children with diabetes has accounted for 5 percent of all patients, and it is increasing by 10 percent every year," Xinhua news agency reported, citing endocrine secretion professor Li Qiang.
Unhealthy lifestyles and stress related to education are blamed for the increase. In addition, Reuters explains that the trend also coincides with China’s economic boom and the ability of more families to spend money on food rather than working in fields for their livings.
Thanks to Yahoo! Health for alerting us to the story.
Karen James for the SUGAR SHOCK! Blog