Diabetes at a Younger Age
Diabetes is on the rise in the U.S., and some research suggests that it is becoming more prevalent in younger people. A group of researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, S.C., reports an analysis in the January/February Annals of Family Medicine showing that the average age of diagnosis of type 2 diabetes has decreased with time.
Richelle J. Koopman, MD, and colleagues performed an analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2000 and NHANES III, covering 1988–1994. According to their work, the mean age of diagnosis of type 2 diabetes dropped from 52.0 years in the 1988–1994 period to 46.0 years in the 1999–2000 time frame. Racial and ethnic differences noted in the earlier years are no longer seen, according to the authors.
Several explanations may account for the observation. It's quite possible, perhaps even likely, that diabetes is affecting younger populations in larger numbers. The trend may also be due to changing diagnostic criteria, improved recognition of diabetes among clinicians, and greater public awareness of the health issues.
In any event, it's clear that diabetes is being detected in younger patients, which may lead to more health benefits through earlier treatment.
