Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in Our Youth: A Recipe for Cardiovascular Disease

- Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death worldwide, contributing to 635,000 deaths in the United States each year.
- Reducing the incidence of obesity and type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents may not only prolong life expectancy but also decrease the incidence of cardiovascular disease.
- Nurse practitioners are twice as likely to monitor A1C levels, and 37% more likely to meet cholesterol level guideline established according to the consensus statement by the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association 2015.
- Nurse practitioners are in a unique position to not only provide primary care to children and adolescents but also to develop unique interventions that can improve quality of life.

Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death worldwide. According to the American Heart Association, at least 68% of the population with diabetes will die from some form of heart disease. Type 2 diabetes is steadily increasing in children and adolescents, creating a detrimental impact on health. The combination of diabetes and heart disease greatly reduces quality of life and life expectancy. According to current data, nurse practitioners are twice as likely to monitor A1C levels, and 37% more likely to meet cholesterol level guidelines. The nurse practitioner's role is to provide high-quality care to children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes to improve health and prevent complications.