Rates of New Diagnosed Cases of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Continue to Rise Among Children, Teens

The rate of new cases (or incidence) of diabetes in youths younger than 20 years increased in the United States between 2002 and 2015, with a 4.8% increase per year for type 2 diabetes and a 1.9% increase per year for type 1 diabetes, researchers reported in the February 14, 2020, issue of CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The rate of increase varied among racial/ethnic minority groups with type 1 diabetes but not type 2.

Data for this report were analyzed from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study (SEARCH), a population-based registry of diabetes in youths from five sites in the United States. SEARCH monitors how many US children and adolescents are affected by diabetes, how many are newly diagnosed, and whether diabetes is increasing over time. SEARCH is the first and only ongoing assessment of trends in type 1 and type 2 diabetes in US youths.

From 2002 to 2015, the SEARCH study identified 14,638 youths younger than 20 years with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes and 3,916 youths aged 10–19 years with type 2 diabetes.

Between 2002 and 2015, the incidence of type 1 diabetes increased in all age, sex, and race/ethnicity groups, except for those younger than 5 years and American Indians primarily from one southwestern tribe. The steeper increases in incidence of type 1 diabetes were seen among non-Hispanic blacks (2.7% per year), Hispanics (4.0% per year), and Asians/Pacific Islanders (4.4% per year) while the increase among non-Hispanic whites was much lower (0.7% per year).

For type 2 diabetes, incidence during the period increased in all age, sex, and race/ethnicity groups, with the exception of non-Hispanic whites. The steepest increase was seen among Asians/Pacific Islanders (7.7% per year) followed by Hispanics (6.5% per year), non-Hispanic blacks (6.0% per year), and American Indians primarily from one southwestern tribe (3.7% per year).

Study investigators looked at trends between 2002–2010 and 2011–2015 and found:

For type 1 diabetes,

  • After showing no change in the first period, incidence then increased 4.0% per year in non-Hispanic blacks and 8.5% per year in Asians/Pacific Islanders.
  • Among Hispanics, the rate of increase between the two periods slowed from 5.9% per year to 2.5% per year.

For type 2 diabetes, incidence among racial/ethnic minority groups increased at a more constant rate.

Trends in incidence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes among youth younger than 20 years of age. Type 1 diabetes rose from 20 incidences per 100,000 in year 2002 to 23 in year 2015. Type 2 diabetes rose from 9 incidences per 100,000 in year 2002 to 14 in year 2015.

Youth-onset diabetes is associated with various complications such as kidney disease, eye disease, and nerve damage, and poses a substantial clinical and public health burden.

Learn more about resources to promote healthy eating and physical activity in youths.