Insulin dependent diabetes and anthropometric assessment: Understanding the rationale for body composition measurement

Abstract

The purpose of the review is to explore the interlinkages between diabetes, insulin therapy, and body composition and discuss the need for body composition assessment as part of the routine nutrition and health assessment of children living with diabetes especially in resource limited contexts with a case study of Uganda. Changes in body composition have an intractable effect of Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus and its management. The association between diabetes and body composition has the potential to lead to adverse health outcomes, especially in later years of life. Health practitioners shall devise strategies to efficiently monitor the body composition of young diabetics at an early stage to revert the life threatening complications among young diabetic patients. Keywords Diabetes; Body composition; Children; Uganda