Monday's Beijing Youth Daily reports statistics from a local hospital showing seven percent of its annual outpatients with diabetes are children, amounting to 2,100. The youngest patient is only four months old.

Doctors with the Children's Diabetes Center said a child may inherit diabetes from its parents, but the main reason was unhealthy eating habits.

Tests show those children with diabetes take to high amounts ofsoft drinks, greasy and high calorific food such as hamburgers.

Sources with the hospital said the center would also assume thefunction of health protection. They offer lectures on diets and self-management.

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2002)