Is a type 2 diabetes pandemic looming? According to a study published on December 7, 2022 in the British Medical Journalthis disorder has been increasing since the 1990s, especially in young adults and adolescents. “Early-onset type 2 diabetes is a growing global health problem among adolescents and young adults“, immediately note the authors of the publication.
While type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that usually begins in childhood or young adulthood, type 2 diabetes is more of a metabolic disorder that occurs in middle-aged or even elderly people. It is (normally) only very rarely observed in adolescents or young adults.
But in recent decades, the steady increase in overweight and obesity have been a major risk factor for the onset of the disease. “High body mass index was the main contributing factor to the early onset of type 2 diabetes and increased worldwide from 1990″, the researchers found. Air pollution or smoking can also contribute.
Four times more teenagers concerned in France
Researchers from Harbin Medical University in China analyzed data from 204 countries and regions around the world between 1990 and 2019. According to their analyses, nearly four times as many young people have been diagnosed with the disease since 1990. Around the world, the number of young people diagnosed has fallen from 117 cases per 100,000 population in 1990 to 183 cases in 2019.
“Substantial increases in the incidence of type 2 diabetes have been reported in some countries”, the researchers said. In France, the number of children and adolescents concerned has quadrupled with an incidence that has increased from 2 to 9% among new cases of diabetes. But it is in the United Kingdom and Canada that the increases have been the fastest, as well as in Latin America.
Who are the people most affected? According to the study, the women were more affected by type 2 diabetes than men in the 15-30 age group. “We suspect pregnancy and polycystic ovary syndrome in women, which are associated with insulin resistance, may contribute in part to the gender differences.”, detail the researchers. This difference is even more marked in low-income countries, where poorer checks may be carried out during pregnancy and where women may have less access to care than men.
What are the risks associated with early diagnosis?
If diagnosed too early, i.e. before the age of 40, type 2 diabetes can be responsible for a “substantial increase“the risk of cardiovascular disease or mortality.”In addition, treatment options for type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents are inadequate and less effective than treatments for adults.“, warn the researchers.
To reduce the risk of diabetes, it is important to eat healthy and stay active. Some people may also be more at risk, such as people of black African, Caribbean or South Asian origin. Women with PCOS also have a higher risk: in these conditions, knowing your risk and adjusting your physical activity or stress management can reduce the risk, and especially to consult a doctor for prevention.
Source :
- Global burden of type 2 diabetes in adolescents and young adults, 1990-2019: systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease study 2019, The British Medical JournalDecember 7, 2022
