(a) Not merely
DM, but even HT and IHD may be found in both parents of a child under
consideration. Moreover, these three diseases may not exist in
isolation since HT contributes and predisposes to IHD while DM to HT
and IHD both. At certain time one disease is manifest while another is
occult.
(b) Genetic
profile when clubbed with ‘environmental’ factors like diet,
stress, lifestyle, obesity, indoor and outdoor work and exercise
results generally in disease. Life style of children also implies
sedentary habits like passion for TV and video games and even the lack
of sports. Purely on genetic basis, risk of diabetes in children of
one diabetic parent and both parents diabetic is 1 in 8 and 1 in 4
respectively. DM and HT are moreover examples of psychosomatic and
stress disorders and likewise, to certain extent, IHD to stress.
Puberty and adolescence is an explosive phase in life given all sorts
of stress. We already know now how DM affects young Indians given the
life styles and particular food habits not merely of carbohydrates but
fats as well. The data of 11 children out of 75 with genetic profile
of either parent diseased shows that these 11 children between 14-15
years had no difference in the HDL-c levels as compared to controls.
This is significant under the higher HDL-c in children below 14 years.
This further focuses our attention on adolescent phase since HDL-c has
a protective function against HT and IHD in their future life.
(c) Fortunately,
serum triglycerides like aminoacids form a metabolic pool, to which
additions and eliminations are constantly being made during healthy
active life. Ways of reducing triglycerides include indoor and outdoor
work and exercise appropriate for age, situations and life style. This
conscious effort augmented by training is being increasingly neglected
during school life and at home under the increasing burden of study
and the knowledge explosion and fierce competition even among school
children now. This study excludes obese children, otherwise results
would have been different.
(d) It is
heartening to note from this study that high serum total cholesterol,
HDL-c and triglycerides do not have predilection for female children
since otherwise these considerations would have worrisome dimensions
during their pregnancy and child birth in future.
(e) The authors
have mentioned that the parents of these 75 children out of 100 had
one of the diseases IHD, HT & DM for longer than 5 years without
stating exactly how long and the stakes are higher longer the
duration. Chronic disease is a higher risk factor considering the
generally higher age of marriage possibly of such parents hence the
higher age at which parenthood begins. This is significant for family
and community too. Possibly lipid profile of children with more
chronic disease(s) of parents would be different.
