Curie Brief
Turn on cookies to sign in
Signing in saves your progress to your Curie account. We can only do that with cookies on — turn them on to continue.
News
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are on the rise in children and teens, with type 2 surging at an alarming pace. Data from Colorado's Diabetes Registry show type 2 diabetes incidence nearly tenfold from 2002 to 2023, with the sharpest spikes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts say routine screening and early intervention are now more critical than ever.
Two distinct diabetes trends are unfolding simultaneously among America's youth, and neither is heading in the right direction. Data from the Colorado Diabetes Registry spanning 2002 to 2023 show that both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are rising in children and adolescents — but type 2 is surging at a far steeper pace, with new cases among teens aged 10–19 now approaching the incidence of type 1.
The sharpest acceleration in type 2 diabetes occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic years of 2020–2021, driven by reduced physical activity, disrupted sleep and eating patterns, weight gain, and psychosocial stress. Researchers also note that SARS-CoV-2 may have directly worsened insulin resistance through systemic inflammation, though this pathway remains under investigation.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: A diabetes diagnosis in childhood means decades of managing the disease and its complications. Experts are urging routine risk screening for youth with obesity and other risk factors, along with family-based lifestyle interventions — and, where appropriate, GLP-1 receptor agonists now approved for adolescents aged 12 and older.
