A new study has found that the number of type 2 diabetes cases among American children has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, possibly because of weight gain during lockdowns, according to Medicine Net.
The study was presented at a virtual meeting of the American Diabetes Association.
Lead author Dr. Daneil Hsia said, “While our study examined hospital admissions for type 2 diabetes in children at one center, the results may be a microcosm of what is happening at other children’s hospitals across the country.”
Dr. Hsia is an associate professor in the clinical trials unit at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The study researchers believe that stay-at-home orders have increased the risk factors for type 2 diabetes in children. The risk factors of diabetes include less physical activity, more screen time, sedentary behaviors, sleep disturbances, and increased consumption of processed foods, which all contribute to weight gain.
The team explained that even a slight increase in weight over a short period could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
The study compared the number and severity of hospitalizations for type 2 diabetes from March 2019 to December 2019, with the same period in 2020.
The investigators found that the hospitalization rate for new-onset type 2 diabetes increased from 0.27% in 2019 to 0.62% in 2020.
Children hospitalized in 2020 had more severe diabetes, the study found. Also, more kids in 2020 required admission to the ICU for complications, such as diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic syndrome (HHS) – the conditions that could lead to diabetic coma.
The researchers also found that of 25 admissions in 2020, 23 were Black children and 19 were boys, according to Medicine Net.
Dr. Hsia said in the virtual meeting, “Unfortunately, COVID-19 disrupted our lives in more ways than we realize. Our study reinforces the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle for children even under such difficult circumstances.”
