Linking pediatric obesity to youth-onset type 2 diabetes: integrated longitudinal and cross-sectional…

Cross-sectionalClinical and experimental pediatrics· Aug 2026

Linking pediatric obesity to youth-onset type 2 diabetes: integrated longitudinal and cross-sectional evidence from population-based studies worldwide.

Ashraf T Soliman, Fawzia Alyafei, Nada Alaaraj … Ahmed Elawwa

Pediatric Endocrinology & GrowthCross-sectionalClinical practiceQ1IF 3.1

Obesity is present in about three-quarters of youths at type 2 diabetes diagnosis

Linking pediatric obesity to youth-onset type 2 diabetes: integrated longitudinal and cross-sectional evidence from population-based studies worldwide.

Ashraf T Soliman … Ahmed Elawwa

Clinical and experimental pediatrics · Aug 2026 · Q1 in Pediatrics

Background

Youth-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a rapidly growing pediatric metabolic disorder that parallels the global childhood obesity epidemic.

Methods

Here we conducted a systematic review of PubMed and Scopus (January 2000 to March 2025) using longitudinal data from population-based registries in the USA (SEARCH), Canada (Manitoba), England and Wales (National Paediatric Diabetes Audit), Israel, Australia, and New Zealand as well as cross-sectional burden from a global meta-analysis (53 studies, n=8,942) and national audits.

n = 53 studies

Results

obesity affects most youths, not a minority, when diabetes is diagnosed

Prevalence 75.30 (95% CI 72.10 to 78.50)

null 0

72.10

78.50

CI excludes the null - significant

More results

Study quality was appraised using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews v2.

All registries showed a temporally parallel increase in the incidence of pediatric obesity and youth-onset T2DM.

More results

In the USA, the T2DM incidence rose 79% (3.8 → 6.8 per 100,000/yr, 2002-2018); in Manitoba, it nearly doubled (16.0 → 31.1 per 100,000/yr, 2009-2018); and Israel showed a 441% rise (0.63 → 3.41 per 100,000/yr, 2008-2019).

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Conclusion

Weight-reduction interventions, particularly glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and bariatric surgery, offer meaningful glycemic benefits; however, primary prevention of childhood obesity remains the most powerful strategy to arrest this epidemic.

Linking pediatric obesity to youth-onset type 2 diabetes: integrated longitudinal and cross-sectional evidence from population-based studies worldwide.

Linking pediatric obesity to youth-onset type 2 diabetes: integrated longitudinal and cross-sectional evidence from population-based studies worldwide.

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