Young Americans are expected to develop Type 2 diabetes by 700 percent
According to a “startling” new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health, the number of young Americans with Type 2 diabetes is expected to skyrocket by nearly 700% by 2060 if current upward trends continue unchecked.
Meanwhile, a new study published in the medical journal of the American Diabetes Association suggests that young people with Type 1 diabetes will likely experience a spike of up to 65 percent.
“This new research should serve as a wake-up call for all of us,” Dr. Debra Houry, acting principal deputy director of the CDC, said in a statement. “It’s vital that we focus our efforts to ensure all Americans, especially our young people, are the healthiest they can be.”
In excess of 37 million Americans — around 1 out of 10 — as of now have hopeless diabetes, making it the seventh driving reason for death in the country. The most recent data from the ADA indicate that the average annual cost of medical care for people who live with it can reach $16,752.
In the United States, people under the age of 20 are more likely to develop Type 1 diabetes, in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. However, the research team found that Type 2 diabetes—a condition in which the body is unable to process insulin as it should—has “substantially increased” in this population over the past two decades.
A “higher burden” of Type 2 diabetes was predicted for “Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native youths,” in addition to the overall “surge” projections.
The “alarming” growth rate could be caused by a number of things, according to the researchers. Some of them include the deeply ingrained prevalence of childhood obesity in US culture and gestational diabetes in women who are pregnant.
“This study’s startling projections of Type 2 diabetes increases show why it is crucial to advance health equity and reduce the widespread disparities that already take a toll on people’s health,” said Christopher Holliday, director of the CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation.
Heart disease, chronic kidney disease, nerve damage, and a wide range of other conditions that affect the feet, oral, vision, hearing, and mental health are the most common diabetes-related health complications.
Researchers also noted that young people may develop the disease more rapidly than adults, necessitating earlier medical treatment.
“The COVID-19 pandemic underscored how critically important it is to address chronic diseases, like diabetes,” Houry added. “This study further highlights the importance of continuing efforts to prevent and manage chronic diseases, not only for our current population but also for generations to come.”
