CDC projects surge in diabetes among young Americans in coming decades

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week warned a surge of diabetes among young Americans is on the horizon, saying diagnoses for the population are expected to soar in the coming decades (Source: “CDC warns of future surge in diabetes among young Americans,” The Hill, Dec. 29).

The CDC cited a new study published in the journal Diabetes Care, which models a nearly 700% increase of Type 2 diabetes diagnoses in Americans under the age of 20 through 2060, if an expected upward trend continues.

Type 1 diabetes could also increase 65% among young Americans in the next 40 years following the same trend.

Millions of Americans of all ages have diabetes, which is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. and extremely costly for those living with it. Diabetes is not curable.

Based on the expected surge in the new study, about 526,000 young Americans could have both types of diabetes by 2060, compared to a total of 213,000 for the population in 2017.