PETALING JAYA: At six, Catherine (not her real name) weighed just 22kg. Four years later, her weight had tripled despite her being only 130cm tall.
By 15, the teenager was 155cm and weighed almost 100kg.
Darkened patches had also developed on her skin, prompting her parents to take her for a medical check-up. Blood tests showed that her fondness for sugary drinks, sweets, chocolates, snacks and fast food had put her at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
ALSO READ: A growing worry among children
Her mother, who wants to be known only as Stella, said the family had never imagined that Catherine’s sweet tooth could eventually threaten her health.
“We thought she would outgrow her sweet tooth and eventually lose the weight as she grew older. We did not think much of it,” she said.
But Catherine’s weight continued to climb.
ALSO READ: Never too early to spot risks and intervene, say doctors
When her parents noticed changes to her skin two years ago, they took her for a medical check-up.
Her fasting blood glucose was 5.1mmol/L, below the 6.0mmol/L threshold, but her HbA1c (HPLC) reading was 6.1%, putting her in the pre-diabetic range.
HbA1c, or glycated haemoglobin, measures the amount of glucose attached to haemoglobin in red blood cells and is used to assess blood sugar control and help diagnose diabetes.
Stella said their family doctor, who had previously warned Catherine about her weight, was concerned about the results.
Blood tests also showed elevated inflammation markers, while Catherine was diagnosed with acanthosis nigricans, a skin condition associated with insulin resistance and obesity.
The doctor told the family that Catherine may have an increased risk of developing diabetes.
“He said it was critical that we take steps to reduce her weight to delay the risk of her developing full-blown diabetes,” said Stella.
Catherine was placed on a special diet and exercise regime, but the plan lasted barely two weeks as she struggled to stick to the diet.
She soon returned to bingeing on sweets and desserts.
The situation was made more difficult as both parents were often busy working and could not constantly monitor her diet.
Now 17 and another 10kg heavier, Catherine remains pre-diabetic, with a recent blood test showing no improvement.
Stella said she now wished the family had taken Catherine’s eating habits and weight more seriously when she was younger.
“She is constantly fatigued and sleepy. Even the simplest of household chores would tire her within minutes. Looking back, we should have paid more attention.
“We thought she would outgrow her fondness for sweet things. We were wrong,” she said.
