CBS News reports that a three-year-old girl in Texas has been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, making her one of the youngest people ever to have the condition. Physicians at a pediatric endocrinology clinic reportedly ran tests on the girl, who weighs 77 pounds. The average weight for a toddler her age is about 35 pounds.
According to medical research professionals with the University of Texas Health Science Center, the incidence rate of children with type-2 diabetes has risen sharply in recent years on a global scale. They also note that currently, type-1 diabetes is still more common in young children than type 2.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are about 5,000 new type-2 diabetes cases for those under the age of 20 each year across the country.
Chicago Tribune: “While [type-2] diabetes can be reversed through early diagnosis and proper treatment…this is often not the case unless a child’s family dynamics are completely overhauled. Children with type-2 diabetes often have parents who struggle with their own weight issues and dietary choices, so they are living in an environment that does not promote healthy eating or physical activity.”
Twin Cities Public Health 