On Wednesday the 14th of December at 4pm the APPG will be holding its next meeting on young people and type 2 diabetes on Zoom.
Historically, we have thought of type 2 diabetes as a condition that affects older people, however, rates of type 2 diabetes in the under-40s are now increasing faster than in the over-40s. Cases in under 40’s have risen by 23% in the last 5 years, in 2016-2017 the number was 120,000 compared to 148,000 in 2020-2021. Sadly, developing a type 2 diabetes at a younger age can lead to more complications, including kidney and heart disease.
There are significant inequalities in diabetes prevalence. Research has shown that incidence of type 2 diabetes is associated with lower socio-economic status and this is even more prominent in children, young people, and adults under 40. The prevalence from the most deprived areas is 35% compared to 8% in the least deprived.
It is important to remember that type 2 diabetes is a complex condition with multiple risk factors, such as genetics, family history, ethnicity and weight The most significant modifiable risk factor for the condition is obesity. In 2018–19, 87% of people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were in the overweight or obese BMI categories.
The rising number of children and young adults living with overweight and obesity in the UK is now translating into an acceleration in type 2 diabetes cases among those aged 18 to 39.
In this meeting we will hear from:
- Dr Shivani Misra, Clinical Senior Lecturer in Diabetes and Endocrinology, Imperial College London
- Dr Dita Aswani, Consultant Paediatrician specialising in Diabetes and Weight Management, Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
- Shannon, lived experience
If you wish to attend, please contact: diabetes-appg@outlook.com
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