- Early-onset type 2 diabetes is associated with a nearly 4-fold increase in mortality risk.
- Younger adults with type 2 diabetes face higher risks of complications.
- Tailored, lifelong care and research into young-onset type 2 diabetes treatments are needed to improve outcomes.
People diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before age 40 face a nearly fourfold higher risk of death compared with the general UK population according to a recent study by the University of Oxford’s Radcliffe Department of Medicine.
Published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, the study examined how the risks of complications and mortality differ between those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at a young age and those diagnosed later in life.
The findings revealed that adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes later in life have a 1.5 times higher risk of death than the general population.
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However, the risk is much greater in those diagnosed before 40.
Amanda Adler, co-author and Professor of Diabetic Medicine and Health Policy at the University of Oxford, noted, “Evidence suggests that younger-onset type 2 diabetes, with its longer exposure to high blood glucose, may progress more aggressively, leading to faster declines in insulin-producing β-cell function and higher risks of complications like cardiovascular and kidney disease.”
Younger onset type 2 diabetes linked to higher complication risks
Using data from the UK Prospective Diabetes Study, researchers tracked 4,550 newly diagnosed participants aged 25 to 65 over 30 years.
Those diagnosed at a younger age experienced higher mortality rates and more diabetes-related complications, especially microvascular issues like eye and kidney damage.
Early-onset diabetes was also linked to poorer long-term blood sugar control.
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Importance of high quality care for young adults
Dr. Beryl Lin, the study’s lead author, emphasised the need for proactive care for young adults with type 2 diabetes.
“Our data supports the need to identify young adults with type 2 diabetes early and ensure lifelong, high-quality care.
Clinical trials targeting young adults are essential to develop treatments that can prevent or delay complications and reduce premature death.”
The researchers warn that the prolonged exposure to high blood sugar levels in younger adults may further elevate their risk of complications, impacting life expectancy.
Dr. Lin added, “It’s crucial to understand why young adults face greater complication risks and develop strategies to support this vulnerable group as they navigate a lifetime with diabetes.”
