One out of every three children born since 2000 is expected to develop diabetes in his or her lifetime. While that statistic is for the US, local health care workers say it is likely to also be true in Bermuda.

About 800 babies are born here every year.

Using that statistic, roughly 266 children each year are likely to develop diabetes in their lifetime.

It's a significant risk and something parents should bear in mind even as their children are infants.

US endocrinologist Dr. Tom Flood was the guest speaker at the Bermuda Diabetes Association's Annual General Meeting, presenting the statistics and pointing to the importance of prevention of diabetes.

He noted that larger portion sizes coupled with a more sedentary lifestyle have been large reasons for the explosion of new diabetes cases throughout the world.

He said about a quarter of adults in the US have the condition (for those aged over 30 the picture is even worse with about a third suffering).

Locally the growing incidence of Type 2 diabetes in children has been well reported.

Obesity is a major cause of the disease. According to Dr. Flood in the US, only about five percent of children born in the 1960s and 1970s were overweight.

"It has skyrocketed from that today," he said. And he said many parents feel their child is simply chubby and will outgrow it in a few years.

But he warned this is often a fallacy. "In fact," he said, "if a child is overweight before the age of eight, chances are that that child will become obese."

And diabetes is not the only problem obese children face. Dr. Flood said recent studies in the US show obese children as having a worse quality of life than children with cancer. One study measured obese children as having an impaired quality of life of 5.9 in their psychosocial health while children suffering with cancer measured only 1.9.

That study also measured obese children as having an impaired quality of life of five compared to cancer victims who showed an impaired quality of life of one in terms of physical health.

Is the problem avoidable? According to Dr. Flood, it is.

He recommended a healthy diet and exercise should be followed by both children and adults alike.

He said Bermudians should acquaint themselves with the new food nutrition chart found at mypyramid.com.

The new chart stresses that one size does not fit everyone and offers personalised guidance on food and menu choices.

There's also a special mypyramid site for children who can go online and use it themselves.

A fall in the numbers of people becoming obese will result in a fall in the numbers of people developing diabetes. That's why diabetes educators in Bermuda are trying hard to reduce obesity.