Diabetes is a serious disease and is the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. Having diabetes doubles the risk of having a stroke or heart attack. In fact, stroke and heart attacks "account for 84% of diabetes-related deaths." Many other complications include kidney failure, blindness, nervous system damage, gangrene in the lower limbs (which lead to amputations), increased risk of cancer (especially colorectal cancer), and even premature death.
Although these statistics are troubling, Dustin Rudolph Pharm.D. offers several steps parents can take to help prevent their children from developing type-1 diabetes in his article, "Type 1 Diabetes - Avoiding Dairy Is Key To Prevention."