Unhealthy lifestyle exacts heavy toll from teens
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Bad eating habits and lifestyle are part of the reason U.S. teens are unhealthy
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October 18, 2000
Web posted at: 10:53 AM EDT (1453 GMT)
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Doctors say an unhealthy lifestyle is causing an alarming change in the health of U.S. teenagers: More of them are developing adult diseases such as type 2 diabetes at an early age.
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Lifestyle changes may help people avoid diabetes. CNN's Holly Firfer reports
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"In the past it's been said that 10 percent of the children with diabetes have type 2 diabetes," said Dr. Holly Schachner. "In recent years estimates have been increasing to 25 percent and in some centers up to 40 percent."
That means growing numbers of young people are at risk for serious complications such as kidney and heart disease, blindness and nerve degeneration in their arms and legs.
Health experts say bad eating and exercise habits are a big part of the problem.
CNN Medical Correspondent Holly Firfer has the story of one young man dealing with a serious adult disease.
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RELATED SITES:
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Diabetes Association
CDC: Diabetes Public Health Resource
Center for Nutrition Policy Promotion
American Heart Association
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