The study found that Asian or Pacific Islander, Black, and Hispanic children had higher rates.
Lead researcher Lynne Wagenknecht, a professor and director of public health sciences at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, stated in a university news release, “Our research suggests a growing population of young adults with diabetes who are at risk of developing complications from the disease.” “It’s a troubling trend in young people whose health care needs will exceed those of their peers.”
The findings are from the comprehensive SEARCH For Diabetes in Youth study’s final report, which was launched in 2000 with assistance from the U.S
The study, which involved five medical centers in the United States, had a coordinating center at Wake Forest School of Medicine.
Between 2002 and 2018, it identified more than 18,000 young people under the age of 19 who were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and 5,200 young people between the ages of 10 and 19 who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
In 2017-2018, the annual incidence of type 1 diabetes was 22.2 per 100,000, while the annual incidence of type 2 diabetes was 17.9 per 100,000.
Asian or Pacific Islander children and adolescents, Hispanic children, and Black children experienced the greatest annual percentage increases.
For type 1 diabetes, the maximum age at diagnosis was 10 years; 16 for type 2.
Researchers discovered that type 1 diabetes typically begins in the winter and peaks in January. Variations in the amount of daylight, lower levels of vitamin D, and an increase in viral infections could all account for this.
Peak onset for type 2 diabetes occurred in August. At the start of a school year, there may be more diagnoses at sports physicals and routine health screenings.
Wagenknecht stated, “These findings will help guide focused prevention efforts.” The underlying pathophysiology of youth-onset diabetes will be the focus of our next phase of research now that we know more about risk factors.
