In Hawaii, approximately one out of every nine individuals has diabetes. And every year, an estimated 8,000 people in Hawaii are diagnosed with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes – including children, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) Diabetes Research Center. Knowing about diabetes – its science, its symptoms and management techniques – can assist parents and community members in supporting those who have this prevalent disease. Fortunately, Dr. Vinson Diep, a trusted pediatrician with an office at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, is willing to share some of his expert insight about diabetes. What is going on in the body when someone has diabetes? And, what is the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes? “It’s a little complicated to explain all the nuances of diabetes, but in general, diabetes is when someone has too much sugar in the blood,” summarizes Diep. “A hormone called insulin is what helps our body use the sugar and remove it from the blood and into our cells and organs.” “In Type 1 diabetes, there is not enough insulin to get all the sugar to where it needs to go, so it floats around in the blood. This normally results in our own body attacking itself and damaging the cells that produce insulin (called autoimmune disease),” Diep continues. “In Type 2 diabetes, there is generally a resistance of the body to insulin. So, even though there is enough insulin in the body, the insulin doesn’t really do its job, leading to high levels of sugar in the blood.” by Dr. Vinson Diep and Stephanie Lopes Dr. Melanie Shim teaching pediatric patient about managing diabetes. 136 HAWAII PARENT March/April 2024
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