Marked rise in type 2 diabetes in young people

Type 2 diabetes can lead to a range of health problems such as heart disease, strokes and kidney problems. The condition occurs when the body cannot produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. It can be linked to obesity.

The number of children and young people being treated for type 2 diabetes in England and Wales has gone up from 507 to 715 in four years, new figures show.

More than three-quarters were also obese, according to the NHS data. Child health experts said the rise was “alarming” and the childhood obesity epidemic was “starting to bite”. A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: “We’ve invested billions in public health services and have already removed the equivalent of 45 million kilograms of sugar from soft drinks every year. Our new childhood obesity plan will now get children exercising more in schools, and reduce their exposure to sugary and fatty foods”.

James Sherwin says…
“Too many children are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. One of the major issues is that special offers at supermarkets too often relate to unhealthy foods. We would encourage supermarkets not only to provide free fruit to children (which a number of them now do) but also to ensure that special offers relate to fruit and vegetables rather than less healthy foods”.