Type 2 Diabetes - How young can you get it

[JanetRose]

???????????

 

[bicker]

The earliest instances of Type 2 Diabetes have been coming so much earlier in the past, that they've actually have to abandoned the common terminology for the condition -- it is no longer "adult-onset diabetes". Type 2 Diabetes has been diagnosed in children as young as 2 years of age.

 

[DebbieB]

I've done a little reading on it since my niece has it (she has type 1 though). I don't think there really is an age limit. From what I understand, type 1 is when the pancreas shuts down completely, type 2 still has some function. Type 1 is more common in children but I think you can get either at any age.

I found some info in webmd:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/46/1667_50911.htm

 

[crz4mm2]

I don't think there is an age limit either. I know a two year old.

 

[disneysteve]

Unfortunately, we are seeing type 2 diabetes younger and younger mainly due to the tremendous obesity problem. Sadly, a significant portion of my pediatric patients are overweight or obese. I have numerous children in my practice who are as much as 100 pounds overweight or more. In that setting, screening for diabetes and high cholesterol becomes a must and we are seeing those diseases turn up more and more at younger and younger ages. Yes, it does occur in non-obese patients but it is far more common in those who are significantly overweight.

 

[golfgal]

Unfortunately, we are seeing type 2 diabetes younger and younger mainly due to the tremendous obesity problem. Sadly, a significant portion of my pediatric patients are overweight or obese. I have numerous children in my practice who are as much as 100 pounds overweight or more. In that setting, screening for diabetes and high cholesterol becomes a must and we are seeing those diseases turn up more and more at younger and younger ages. Yes, it does occur in non-obese patients but it is far more common in those who are significantly overweight.

What is the difference between 1 and 2? I guess I always thought 1 was a childhood onset and 2 was adult and that was what distinguished them. How are they different?

 

[bicker]

In general, people with diabetes either have a total lack of insulin (type 1 diabetes) or they have too little insulin or cannot use insulin effectively (type 2 diabetes).

 

[RachelEllen]

Type 1 is when the pancreas stops producing insulin. It's usually an autoimmune process that is attacking the insulin producing cells.

In Type 2, you are producing insulin, but the body is not responding to it.

Type 1 usually occurs in youth, is associated with loss of weight, drinking and urinating too much, and ketotic spells. It is called insulin dependant because the problem is solved by giving the patient insulin.

Type 2 is more often associated with obesity. We are seeing it in younger and younger people, again, often, but not always associated with obesity even in the very young. It is called non-insulin dependant because usually the patient has enough insulin. They take drugs to improve the bodies reponse to insulin.

 

[disneysteve]

Type 1 usually occurs in youth, is associated with loss of weight, drinking and urinating too much

Actually, the symptoms are exactly the same for Type 2, along with fatigue and blurry vision.

 

[RachelEllen]

Actually, the symptoms are exactly the same for Type 2, along with fatigue and blurry vision.

Well, I'm a kiddie doctor, so I was vague about symptoms of type II, because I rarely see it. (Actually, I don't see either anymore, but I have more experience with type I) What's sad, is that type I used to be the one which you thought of as associated with very bad long term outcomes, such as blindness and loss of limbs (not that those can't occur in type II, but it's not as common when well controlled). However, with type II occuring earlier and earlier, we will most likely be seeing long term sequelae from it as well.