Key points
- New cases of diabetes in young people are increasing in the United States.
- While many studies report on new cases of type 1 diabetes in young people, few report on new cases of type 2 diabetes for this age group.
What did this study examine?
The study examined trends in new diabetes cases (type 1 and type 2) among people younger than 20 from 2002 to 2018. Characteristics reported were age, sex, race and ethnicity, and month of diabetes diagnosis. Before this study, time-of-year data for young people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes had never been reported.
Study results
From 2002 to 2018, new cases of diabetes in young people (for both type 1 and type 2) increased in the United States. Below are the results:
More than 18,000 young people have type 1 diabetes, and more than 5,000 have type 2 diabetes.
In 2002, the number of young people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes per year was 20 per 100,000. By 2018, that number increased to 22 new cases per 100,000 per year. That's about a 2% increase per year in new cases of type 1 diabetes.
In 2002, the number of young people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes per year was 9 per 100,000. By 2018, that number doubled to 18 per 100,000 per year. That's about a 5% increase per year in new cases of type 2 diabetes.
A diagnosis of type 1 diabetes usually happened around age 10 for females and age 12 for males. A diagnosis of type 2 diabetes usually happened around age 16 for both males and females.
The annual increase in new cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes was highest among young people who were:
- Asian/Pacific Islander
- Hispanic
- Non-Hispanic Black
January was the peak month of diagnosis for young people diagnosed with type 1. August was the peak month of diagnosis for young people diagnosed with type 2.
What's important about this study?
Increases in new cases of diabetes in young people means more people will live with the condition longer. This can put young people at higher risk of developing diabetes-related complications by early adulthood.
Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and Black young people also have a higher risk. These findings highlight the importance of focused diabetes prevention and management efforts for young people at increased risk.