More young women in their 20s are getting type 2 diabetes
BBC News 2026-07-22 00:03:43
Context: England is experiencing a concerning increase in young women in their 20s developing type 2 diabetes, with experts warning that the trend is closely linked to rising obesity levels, particularly since the Covid pandemic. The disease can lead to severe complications, such as heart attacks and strokes, and tends to be more aggressive when developed at a younger age. Researchers at Imperial College London analyzed NHS data from 2011 to 2024 to study the trend.
Key Facts
- The analysis of NHS data from 2011 to 2024 showed a "worrying increase" in young women in their 20s developing type 2 diabetes, with a significant rise since the Covid pandemic.
- About 90% of the six million people in the UK living with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, with risk increasing with age, but 12,000 people under 30 are now living with the disease, with women making up more of those younger cases.
- The most common symptoms of type 2 diabetes include feeling very tired, peeing more than usual, and feeling thirsty all the time, and the disease can sometimes be put into remission by eating a healthy diet and keeping slim.
- Obesity rates in England have worsened since the pandemic, with nearly one in three people now affected, and the largest increases over time have been in younger adults, with a 16% rise in new obesity cases in people aged 20-29 between 2019 and 2025.
- Researchers found that body mass index (BMI) at diagnosis has been increasing more quickly among younger adults than in older age groups, hinting at a likely cause of the rising trend of type 2 diabetes in young women.