We often talk about a diabetes pandemic, to highlight how much and how the type 2 form, linked to the spread of obesity, overweight and unhealthy lifestyles, is growing. What is worrying, however, in addition to the cold reality of the figures are the trends. If until some time ago this disease was considered a typical disease of adulthood, now it is increasingly discovered that the incidence of the pathology is growing at alarming rates among children and adolescents. Before the mid-90s, only 1-2% of young people with diabetes suffered from type 2 diabetes. Today, especially in some areas, this age group is rising with increasingly frequent cases that see the picture recognized around the age of 13.
How come? According to research that appeared on Pediatric Research there would also be a role for the place where you live.
Beyond the classic risk factors
Let’s be clear. The increasing childhood obesity helps to understand the increase in cases, just as poor physical activity, improper nutrition and, obviously, genetic predisposition certainly have an impact. But the research by experts from the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine of Florida Atlantic University coordinated by Lea Sacca highlights another key factor: the place where the child lives.
The study examined information from the National Survey of Children’s Health from 2016 to 2020, focusing on a subgroup of children from birth to age 5, a demographic rarely studied in studies of type 2 diabetes. It assessed caregiver responses from more than 174,000 children across the country, including nearly 50,000 in early childhood. The researchers looked not only at diet and physical activity, but also broader factors such as neighborhood conditions, family health, food security and participation in government assistance programs. Result: although the overall prevalence of type 2 diabetes in children under 5 years of age has remained low and relatively stable over the five-year period, the development of the disease appears to be linked more to social and environmental factors than to individual behaviors alone.
More attention to neighborhoods
The weight of the neighborhood in which one lives emerges from the survey, as well as the characteristics of the family unit.
“Research has shown that neighborhood environments – such as the presence of sidewalks, parks or other green spaces – can directly influence a child’s ability to engage in physical activity and, in turn, influence the risk of developing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.”
is the expert’s comment in a university note. Not only that. The environment matters, indeed, as those who follow children also point out. Widespread waste and vandalism can be the basis of risk perception. In short, we need attention to environmental concerns, which increased steadily between 2016 and 2020 and were evident both in the overall sample and in the younger age group.
The results of the study also showed that the use of free or controlled-price meals would be associated with a greater risk, with an impact on the overall quality of nutrition. In short, attention is needed. Also because it happens that the availability of free meals can be linked to an increase in the consumption of processed foods, high in energy and rich in sugars and fats, which can contribute to the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Conclusion: Effective type 2 diabetes prevention and early diagnosis must consider both environmental factors and food quality – particularly neighborhood design and access to nutritional options – for lasting and widespread impact. Obviously, remembering that obesity remains the strongest and most common risk factor for type 2 diabetes in children. Children who are significantly overweight are four times more likely to develop the disease by age 25 than those with a regular weight.
