Type 2 diabetes rates have risen drastically over the last eight years, especially among American tweens and teens, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
“Our study is really the first in the US to quantify the burden of type 2 diabetes at the population level — and not just in a clinic or group of clinics, [but] in all major racial/ethnic groups in the US — and documents increasing trends in several racial-ethnic groups,” emphasized lead author Dana Dabelea, MD, PhD, from the Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, in an interview with Medscape Medical News.
The results of the study found that Type 2 diabetes rates rose 35 percent between 2001 and 2009, while Type 1 rates increased 30 percent during the same period.
“[The findings] were consistent with worldwide estimates,” the researchers wrote.
The Study
For their study, researchers analyzed data from 38 counties in five states, as well as American Indian communities in the Southwest between 2001 and 2009. Aside from the above findings, researchers noted:
- The biggest rise in Type 2 diabetes cases occurred in Hispanic children, followed by blacks and whites.
- The biggest increase in Type 1 diabetes occurred in white children, but there were also significant increases in blacks, Hispanics and Asian Pacific Islanders.
Intervention Techniques
Dr. Dana Dabelea, of the Colorado School of Public Health and lead author of the study, said intervention techniques need to be instilled early on in life to combat Type 2 diabetes.
“It is likely that prevention of type 2 diabetes in youth will require sustained lifestyle changes that need to be implemented and maintained throughout the life course but starting very early in life, during (or even before) pregnancy,” she said. “This will include optimizing maternal weight gain and nutrition patterns during pregnancy, promotion of breastfeeding, and promotion of healthy diets and physically active behaviors at the earliest possible times.”
She added that minority families should also do their part to promote healthy eating habits, as Type 1 diabetes is becoming a larger risk factor.
“Historically, type 1 diabetes has been considered a disease that affects primarily white youth; however, our findings highlight the increasing burden of type 1 diabetes experienced by youth of minority racial/ethnic groups as well,” Dabelea wrote.”It is likely that something has changed in the environment in which our children are born and raised — both in the US and elsewhere in the world — causing more youth to develop the disease, maybe at increasingly younger ages.”
Dabelea concluded that further studies are needed to determine the causes of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes increases, and she hope the latest findings can help “draw attention to the public-health impact of pediatric diabetes.”
Dr. Silverman comments
While I commend Dr. Dabelea and her team for their research, it’s pretty obvious why diabetes rates are soaring across the country. The spike has been documented on this blog over the last two years. Soda consumption is on the rise, and the rising availability of sugar means it’s easier for parents and children to fall into poor eating habits.
Although we’ve uncovered some beneficial ways to treat diabetes, as is the common theme throughout so many of these blogs, prevention is far preferred to treatment. Start by making small lifestyle changes and work to improve on those choices. Put down the soda and reach for a water. Go for a walk after dinner instead of plopping down in front of the TV. Set a good example for your children, and they’ll follow suit.
Related source: JAMA, Medscape