More young adults with diabetes hospitalized

A University of Michigan study that appears in the December issue of Diabetes Care found that from 1993-2004, hospitalization of individuals ages 0-29 increased 38 percent. $2.42 billion was spent in 2004 alone for hospitalizations.

Rates of hospitalization were higher among young women with diabetes than for young men. Lead study author Joyce Lee, M.D., MPH, a pediatric endocrinologist and member of the Child Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR) Unit in the U-M Division of General Pediatrics, says these findings reflect the recent epidemic of childhood obesity and the increasing burden of diabetes among young adults.

While the data showed a considerable increase in hospitalization rates among young adults, ages 20 to 29, it did not find significant growth for hospitalizations among children younger than 20.

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Pediatric HSR Training Grant, and the Clinical Sciences Scholars Program.

Bonnie - after two decades of damage done by excess simple carbs, it makes sense that the 20-29 age group would express the full effects of diabetes. As diets have become even worse, if the same study is done following individuals 0-29 from 2004-2018, the results may show more being hospitalized as young as 12-18.