Obesity rates have been steadily climbing over the last decade, and the numbers show no signs of slowing down. What was once thought of as a problem mainly among adults is now a growing crisis in younger generations. Doctors are sounding the alarm that children and teenagers are developing conditions that, just a few decades ago, were almost exclusively seen in adults. One of the most concerning of these conditions is type 2 diabetes, which is now being diagnosed in kids at record levels.
This shift has left many parents shocked and unprepared. Type 2 diabetes was once called “adult-onset diabetes” for a reason—it almost never appeared in children. But changes in diet, lifestyle, and increasing obesity rates have created the perfect storm for younger people to develop it. Pediatric endocrinologists report that the number of cases in children has more than doubled in recent years, making it one of the most pressing health issues of our time.