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Obesity and Diabetes pp 277–290Cite as

Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Childhood and Adolescence

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Part of the book series: Contemporary Diabetes ((CDI))

Abstract

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus used to be very rare in children and adolescents, but since the mid-1990s, an ever-increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes in children has been observed. More important, both the prevalence and the degree of obesity in children and adolescents are significantly increasing in many populations around the world. For example, a dramatic increase in type 2 diabetes has been reported from investigators in Cincinnati, OH (1). In Germany, more than 5000 youths meet the diagnostic criteria for type 2 diabetes (2). The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus is also very high in Australasia, depending on ethnicity and the degree of obesity. Currently, almost every fifth child is considered to be obese, and 25% of obese children present with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Childhood obesity is associated with substantial comorbidities and late sequelae, such as cardiovascular, orthopedic, and psychosocial problems, irrespective of whether obesity persists into adulthood. Thus, type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity are currently regarded as two of the most challenging health issues facing young people (3–7).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Leipzig, Germany

    Susann Blüher MD & Wieland Kiess MD

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  1. Susann Blüher MD
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

    Christos S. Mantzoros MD, DSc

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© 2006 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Blüher, S., Kiess, W. (2006). Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Childhood and Adolescence. In: Mantzoros, C.S. (eds) Obesity and Diabetes. Contemporary Diabetes. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-985-1_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-985-1_16

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

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