Abstract

Objective: To estimate the incidence of type 2 diabetes in children under 17 years of age and its relationship to increasing childhood obesity in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland (ROI).

Design: Active monthly reporting of cases by consultant paediatricians through the framework of the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit, with additional reports from specialist diabetes nurses.

Subjects: All children under the age of 17 years diagnosed by their clinician as having non-type 1 diabetes from 1 October 2004 to 31 October 2005 (inclusive).

Results: 168 confirmed cases of non-type 1 diabetes were reported giving a national incidence (excluding the ROI) of 1.3/100,000/year. Of these 40% were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes giving a minimum incidence of 0.53/100,000/year. Children of ethnic minorities were greatly over-represented with those of Black and South Asian origin (England data only) having an incidence of 3.9 and 1.25/100,000/year respectively compared to 0.35/100,000/year in those defined as white. Of those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, 95% were overweight and 83% obese according to IOTF guidelines. 84% had a family history of type 2 diabetes.

Conclusions: Compared with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes in the UK is still uncommon in children. However, compared to previous prevalence data it appears to be increasing in frequency. Incidence amongst ethnic minorities is far higher than whites as previously described in the USA. Increased adiposity is strongly associated with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes as is a close family history of the condition.