The Management of Type 2 Diabetes in Children and Adolescents

The medical community faces an emerging epidemic of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in children and adolescents with a disproportionate increase among certain ethnic groups. T2DM represents one arm of the metabolic syndrome and parallels an increasing prevalence of obesity. The metabolic syndrome includes insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension with a consequent risk of early cardiovascular disease. Thus, treatment of T2DM and the metabolic syndrome pose a challenge for pediatric endocrinologists and represent an enormous public health issue. This review presents information about the treatment of childhood T2DM.