The incidence of type 2 diabetes under the age of 30 is 2.2 times in 13 years...The prevalence rate has quadrupled

Aug 26, 2025

The incidence of type 2 diabetes under the age of 30 is 2.2 times in 13 years...The prevalence rate has quadrupled
◇ Changes in incidence and prevalence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes (per 100,000 people under 30 years of age). Data - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention



In the past, type 1 diabetes, which is mainly caused by insulin deficiency due to pancreatic dysfunction caused by autoimmune disorders, has occurred in children and adolescents, but type 2 diabetes, which is mainly caused by obesity-related insulin resistance and lack of secretion, has been rapidly increasing worldwide. The number of new type 2 diabetes diagnoses in children and adolescents increased by 80% in Japan and 50% in Taiwan.

In this regard, the National Institute of Health of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published the results of analyzing the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of diabetic patients under the age of 30 over the past 13 years (2008-2021).

This study is the longest and largest data utilization study in Korea using 130,000 claims from the National Health Insurance Corporation, and a research team led by Kim Jae-hyun of the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescents at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital was conducted with the support of the National Institute of Health.




The incidence of type 2 diabetes under the age of 30 is 2.2 times in 13 years...The prevalence rate has quadrupled
◇ Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes prevalence change and gender risk.. Data - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
According to the annual incidence and prevalence trends of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in under 30 years of age, the incidence of type 2 diabetes increased by 2.2 times from 27.6 to 60.5 per 100,000 people and the prevalence increased by approximately 4-fold from 73.3 to 270.4. In addition, there was no significant difference in the incidence of type 1 diabetes patients during the same period, but the prevalence rate more than doubled from 21.8 to 46.4.

If you look at the gender-specific prevalence difference. Type 1 diabetes was 26% more common in women, and type 2 diabetes was 17% more common in men. As a result of examining the age in four sections (0-5 years old, 6-12 years old, 13-18 years old, 19-29 years old), the incidence rate in 2021 compared to 2008 showed the largest increase in infancy (0-5 years old) and adolescence (13-18 years old) for type 1 diabetes.

Analysis of differences according to socioeconomic level showed that type 1 diabetes was 2.9 times more common and type 2 diabetes was 3.7 times more common in low-income groups than in middle and high-income groups.




Park Hyun-young, director of the National Institute of Health, said "As the prevalence of diabetes continues to increase in children and young age groups, national management is urgent" and "Equity in health is needed, especially in the socio-economically vulnerable class"



This article was translated by Naver AI translator.