Childhood diabetes rates surge globally

New study reveals alarming trends in childhood diabetes rates, urging global action to tackle socioeconomic disparities and prevent a growing public health crisis.

Study: Updated Insights on Childhood Diabetes Epidemiology 2019-2021 and Projections to 2045. Image Credit: Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com

In a recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics, researchers investigated global trends in childhood diabetes rates and different factors that contribute to its incidence.

An overview of childhood diabetes

Childhood diabetes is a chronic condition that affects millions globally, with its prevalence continuing to rise over the past several decades. Diabetes impacts the affected individual’s quality of life and increases their risk of other diseases, including cardiovascular disease.

Current evidence indicates that diabetes arises due to a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, with disparities associated with socioeconomic conditions. Although advancements in treatment have reduced mortality rates, disparities in healthcare access and diagnosis contribute to regional inequities in patient outcomes.

Despite existing research on childhood diabetes, its evolving epidemiology, particularly in underrepresented populations and low-resource regions, remains unclear. This lack of comprehensive and updated data limits the ability to design targeted interventions. Thus, there is an urgent need to reassess trends, regional differences, and projections to ensure effective prevention, treatment, and support strategies.

About the study

In the present cross-sectional study, researchers utilized data from the Global Health Data Exchange between 1990 and 2021 to analyze childhood diabetes in children 14 years of age and younger. They examined diabetes incidence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) across age groups and socioeconomic regions.

Annual percentage changes (APCs) and estimated APCs were calculated to identify temporal trends in the incidence, DALYs, and mortality associated with childhood diabetes. Furthermore, a Bayesian age-period-cohort model was employed to project future trends in incidence rates and case numbers from 2022 to 2045.

To investigate socioeconomic disparities, the sociodemographic index (SDI) was used to classify countries into five tiers based on development levels ranging from low to high. This classification allowed the researchers to examine associations between the economic burden of diabetes and socioeconomic development.

These trends were explored across different age groups, ranging from less than one year to 10 to 14 years, with data further stratified by gender. Regional trends were assessed while focusing on variations in incidence, mortality, and DALY rates among low-, middle-, and high-SDI regions. The analysis also included an evaluation of changes in diabetes-related metrics over time to identify the regions and demographic groups requiring prioritized interventions.

Study findings

The incidence of childhood diabetes increased globally between 2019 and 2021, with notable regional and demographic variations. In 2021, a total of 222,310 new cases were reported globally; however, the death rate and DALYs associated with childhood diabetes appeared to decline, thus reflecting improvements in care and management.

Disease burden remained disproportionately high in low- and middle-SDI regions. Regions with high socioeconomic development exhibited the fastest growth in incidence rates, whereas areas with low SDI reported the highest mortality and DALYs associated with childhood diabetes. For example, South Asia recorded the highest number of new cases, whereas high-income countries in North America had the highest incidence rates.

Eastern sub-Saharan Africa reported the highest mortality and DALY rates, thus emphasizing the need for targeted interventions in these under-resourced regions. Finland had the highest incidence rate among individual countries, whereas India had the highest number of cases.

Gender-based trends revealed that females between five and nine years of age had consistently higher incidence rates than males. Comparatively, the incidence of childhood diabetes in males was slightly higher than that among females in the older age groups.

The researchers predicted a slight decline in total incidence numbers by 2045. Additionally, children aged between five and nine are expected to remain the most affected, with incidence rates projected to retain gender-specific differences.

Conclusions

Although mortality and DALYs attributed to childhood diabetes have decreased due to improved management, the overall burden remains significant.

The projections for 2045 emphasize the importance of developing targeted strategies for prevention and early intervention. The study findings also indicate the need for equitable healthcare access and innovative approaches to reduce the global impact of childhood diabetes.