At what age do people develop type 2 diabetes? The answer a few decades ago was mainly as older adults. The answer today is anyone at any age can receive a diagnosis. A few decades ago, the Western diet was much healthier. It had more fresh vegetables and fruits in it. Meat didn’t contain all the hormones and other additives. Physical activity levels were also much healthier. People walked more. Many worked on farms or used the bicycle more. Kids played outside more. All of this leads to a healthier body weight and activity level. Well, that is not the reality today.
People are much more sedentary now. They live in front of the television and the computer. Our diets have changed significantly as well. More and more meals involve packaged and processed foods. The amounts of sweets and unhealthy fats consumed have skyrocketed in that time frame. All of these changes have a direct link to the rising numbers of people with type 2 diabetes. These days, most Type II Diabetes people are adults who it seems have excess body weight and follow a sedentary lifestyle. If you are over age 45, your chances of getting a diagnosis increase dramatically. However, the ages of those diagnosed gets younger and younger however.
Children are still more likely to get a diagnosis for type 1 instead of type 2 diabetes. Type 1 goes by the alternate name of juvenile Diabetes for that reason. However, the number of cases of children getting Type 2 Diabetes is ever growing. Those between 10 and 20 are more likely than children below 10 are. While the number of children and teens with the disease are very minor when compared to adults, the rising numbers do ring alarm bells. Many new cases in these age brackets stem from the increased numbers of overweight and sedentary children.
Age is an important consideration when looking at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Those older than 65 have a much higher chance than those younger do. Those over 45 with excess weight have a much higher chance than those younger or slimmer do. Nevertheless, age is not the only factor to consider. Anyone carrying excess weight has a higher chance than those who are slimmer. People with a family history has a higher risk than people with a clean family record. As you age, take more care to avoid diabetes. However, monitoring your health is important at any age.
