preview

High Incidence Of Early Onset Type 2 Diabetes

Better Essays
Open Document

The High Incidence of Early-Onset Type 2 Diabetes
Introduction
Diabetes is a metabolic body condition in which the pancreas is unable to secrete enough insulin, hence leading to increased levels of blood sugar. Age, genetics, weight and ethnicity are the four main risk factors of Type 2 diabetes. Common symptoms include frequent urination, persistent fatigue, slow healing process for cuts and wounds and blurred vision. Type 2 diabetes affects 1 out of 10 people in America, as research has concluded, and therefore following this trend, it is expected that by 2050, 1 out of 3 people will be having type 2 diabetes (CDC.gov 1). It is therefore important for individuals with type 2 diabetes to get immediate treatment to reduce this projection. …show more content…

Studies indicate that 13 million people have access to medication, but the remaining 5.2 million remains undiagnosed (Hynes 2). High levels of type 2 diabetes mellitus have been reported in children and adolescents among many geographical regions of the world. Hillier and Pedula projected that by 2020, type 2 diabetes mellitus will exceed the prevalence of type 1 diabetes mellitus in the United States (1). Between 1967 and 1998, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus doubled among the Pima Indian youths (Pavkov et al. 1).
This growing prevalence among children and adolescents is attributed to the present increase in obesity in the same age group (Hillier and Pedula 1). For example, studies conducted in Hong Kong indicate that between 1990 and 1995, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus rose by 1.2% (Norman N. Chan 1). Among those diagnosed during that period of time were young people, aged 25-45 years, and accounted for 16% (Pavkov et al. 1). The major cause can be traced back to the increasing incidences of obesity among the youth in Hong Kong. In Mexico, poor eating habits have also resulted in high rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus; however, the intensity of this epidemic decreases with age. While

Get Access