Diabetes global update: 3-year-old American girl is youngest patient yet

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Around 9.3 percent of the American population has diabetes, amounting to 29.1 million people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2014, while 8.1 million people are undiagnosed.

Reuters reports that type 2 diabetes, which is an "adult-onset" kind of the disease, is commonly found in middle-aged to elderly individuals. However, research has shown that over the past years, children have also been diagnosed with this same disease. In fact, a recent study conducted by Michael Yafi, director of pediatric endocrinology at the University of Texas, Houston shows that a child as young as three years old was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Reuters reports that details of this case will be presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Stockholm by Yafi.

"The incidence of [type 2 diabetes] has increased dramatically worldwide in children due to the epidemic of child obesity," according to Yafi, CBS News reports. "Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of type 2 diabetes even in very young obese children, although of course type 1 diabetes can also still occur in obese children and is in fact much more common in young children than type 2 diabetes."

Yafi admits that the three-year-old girl may not be the youngest child to have been diagnosed, due to the high number of undiagnosed patients worldwide. He said, "I'm sure there probably are others but they are either undiagnosed or not reported yet."

BBC also reports that according to Yafi, an early diagnosis and change of lifestyle can increase a patient's odds of becoming healthier and possibly reverse the condition.

When the Hispanic three-year-old was checked into Yafi's Houston clinic, doctors found that her symptoms were excessive urination and thirst, and that her body mass index was in the top 5% of kids her age. Yafi said that the patient was given treatment (a liquid version of the diabetes drug metformin), and advised to improve her diet and include exercise. About 6 months later, the child ceased medication and her blood sugar levels were reportedly normal. She also lost 9 kg.

According to Reuters, Yafi said, "This is a global problem. Type 2 diabetes is no longer limited to adults. Now when I see any obese child I screen the patient for type 2 diabetes."

CBS News also reported that according to Yafi, "Reversal of type 2 diabetes in children is possible by early screening of obese children, early diagnosis, appropriate therapy and lifestyle modification."

Dr. Justin Warner, diabetic lead at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in U.K. told BBC: "People don't tend to see the fact that obesity in children means you are storing up health problems for the future."