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Children have type 2 diabetes too: an historical perspective
Heather J Dean1,1, Elizabeth A C Sellers1,1
1Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0Z2, Canada.
Type 2 diabetes, once an adult disease, now affects children, particularly those in ethnic minority and Indigenous groups. This rise is linked to the childhood obesity epidemic, prompting global research into its causes, treatment, and prevention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Public Health
Background:
- Type 2 diabetes was historically diagnosed exclusively in adults.
- The global rise in childhood obesity has coincided with an increase in pediatric type 2 diabetes.
- Early reports of type 2 diabetes in children were met with skepticism.
Observation:
- Long-term outcomes and end-stage complications in young adults with type 2 diabetes have emerged in scientific literature.
- Type 2 diabetes disproportionately impacts children from specific ethnic groups and disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, notably Indigenous populations.
- There is a growing body of evidence documenting the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes in children.
Findings:
- The international medical community has increasingly recognized and studied pediatric type 2 diabetes.
- The etiology, treatment, and prevention of type 2 diabetes in children are subjects of intense global research.
- The condition presents significant health challenges for affected youth.
Implications:
- Urgent public health strategies are needed to address the rising rates of pediatric type 2 diabetes.
- Further research is crucial to understand and mitigate the long-term health consequences.
- Culturally sensitive and equitable approaches are necessary for effective prevention and management programs, especially for vulnerable populations.
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