Type 2 Diabetes cases on the rise among young people

All right, a 2024 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the number of young people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes between 2002 and 2018 went up by 5% a year, and those numbers continue to climb. That is a disturbing trend. That's going in the wrong direction. Registered nurse and care manager Jenny Alvarez with Priority Health is here to talk about this trend and how to prevent it, how to figure this out. So Jenny, welcome. Thanks for being here. We talk about diabetes a lot in the month of November. Of course, it is the awareness month, but really it's something to pay attention to all the time. So let's talk about this trend we're seeing with kids. And we're not talking about what used to be called juvenile diabetes. We're talking about type 2 Why do we see it going up in younger populations? Well, the risk factors are there, like a lack of physical activity. You also are having more overweight. Teenagers and high-risk factors in their family, like their mom or dad might be diabetic, that becomes a risk factor for them. But it's more the inactivity. Okay, so you've got obesity combined with inactivity and poor diet sometimes. And poor diet, yes, correct. All those things lead to, for people who don't know exactly what type 2 diabetes is, just give us a simple explanation. What is your definition? Simple explanation is your body produces insulin. But it's not producing enough insulin to take care of, like, the sugar that's coming in to break that down. And then it becomes kind of like a poison to your body a little bit, I would say. So sugar kind of builds up in your bloodstream, and when your blood is compromised that way, that affects every part of your body. So this is something serious. I'm curious how to know if your Teenager or young adult, because this is not a population that is maybe real aware of their health or going to a doctor, so how do you know if they might be pre-diabetic or on the path to diabetes? Well, there's not a lot of signs and symptoms, but there can be, like increased urination, increased fatigue if you're tired all the time, if you're noticing they're gaining weight, but also just having a screening at their doctor's office, a simple blood test can tell you their levels. And whether they're heading in that direction, if you're concerned. And then, there is a big message out there that if you are pre-diabetic, and this goes for any age, whether it's your teenager, young adult, or yourself, if you've been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, you can turn that around, you can make some changes. What do you need to change? Yes, some very simple changes. Some lifestyle modifications, physical activity, so 30 minutes walking a day would be a wonderful way to start. Changing your diet, increasing your fiber, increasing your vegetable intake, your protein intake, decreasing the sugary drinks, especially for teenagers, those energy drinks, the pops and sugary intake, decreasing that makes a huge impact. And then if there is a case of type 2 diabetes. Managing that correctly is so important because, again, this is something that might not be presenting with a lot of symptoms or it's top of mind, but taking care of those blood sugar levels is so key. Yes, correct, and it is manageable by you, the person who has it, through medication, physical activity, or diet. And, you know, talking to your provider. All right, good stuff. Well, it's so important. And as we see these, what used to be an adult problem, sort of trickle down into younger and younger populations, important to keep an eye on them as well. And control the controllables is what we always say. Jenny, thank you so much. Well, thanks for having me. Appreciate it.