from European Association for the Study of Diabetes
Nearly thirty million Americans have type 2 diabetes. Most often it develops in people over forty-five, but increasingly it is showing up in younger people. A new study reports signs of eventual diabetes can be seen in children as young as eight. British researchers analyzed genetic information and blood levels of metabolic markers such as good and bad kinds of cholesterol known to affect risk of type 2 diabetes. Dr. Joshua Bell, of the University of Bristol, who co-led the research says it is remarkable that we can see signs of adult diabetes in the blood at such a young age. He told the European Association for the Study of Diabetes that knowing what early features of diabetes to look for could help intervene earlier to prevent full-blown type 2 diabetes.