Historically, type 2 diabetes was considered an adult condition, but it is now diagnosed in children and teenagers more often than before. Risk factors include excess weight, family history, certain ethnic backgrounds, and low physical activity, and it often develops alongside other features such as raised blood pressure.
Type 1 diabetes remains more common in children and tends to appear quickly with weight loss, intense thirst, and frequent urination. Because the two types are managed differently, accurate diagnosis is important.
Any child with symptoms such as excessive thirst, frequent urination, tiredness, or unexplained weight loss should be assessed promptly, and if they seem very unwell, urgently. Prevention and management of childhood type 2 diabetes focus on family-based lifestyle support, ideally guided by a paediatric diabetes team rather than self-managed at home.