Rising Rates of Type 2 Diabetes Among Younger Women
The incidence of type 2 diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate, particularly among younger women. According to recent data, diagnoses among those under 40 have risen by 47 per cent between 2017/18 and 2023/24, compared to a 22 per cent increase in women aged 40 to 79. This trend highlights a growing concern about the health of younger generations.
Obesity is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes, which is often linked to lifestyle choices. Historically, this condition has been associated with older adults, but it is now becoming more prevalent in younger populations. Obesity rates among women in the UK have nearly doubled since 1993, rising from 16.4 per cent to 30 per cent – almost one in three women.
If left unmanaged, type 2 diabetes can lead to severe complications such as heart attacks, strokes, blindness, and limb amputations. The charity Diabetes UK emphasizes that living with obesity is a critical risk factor and notes that the number of people with obesity, including younger age groups, has increased over recent years.
Factors Contributing to the Rise
While genetics, age, and ethnicity also play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes, some of the rise could be attributed to a lack of follow-up care for women who develop gestational diabetes (GD) during pregnancy. GD affects between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of pregnant women and occurs when the body cannot produce enough insulin, leading to high blood sugar levels.
Although GD usually disappears after birth, women who experience it face a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. It is recommended that women with GD undergo HbA1c blood tests to check for diabetes between six and 13 weeks after giving birth, followed by annual tests to monitor average blood sugar levels.
Urgent Calls for Better Postnatal Care
Diabetes UK has written to the women’s health minister, Baroness Merron, urging urgent action to improve postnatal support for women with GD. The first annual gestational diabetes audit, published by NHS England last year, revealed concerning statistics. Only 57 per cent of women had an annual HbA1c test after GD, and more than one in 10 (11 per cent) developed pre-diabetes within a year. Additionally, 15 per cent of women with GD developed type 2 diabetes within 10 years.
Colette Marshall, chief executive at Diabetes UK, expressed concern over these figures, stating: ‘These figures should be a wake-up call. Type 2 diabetes is rising twice as fast in younger women compared to older women, and a crucial opportunity for prevention is being missed.’
She added, ‘Every diagnosis is life-changing, but when it develops in younger people, type 2 diabetes is even more aggressive. Pregnancy shouldn’t be a pathway to ill health. Yet despite facing a much higher risk of type 2 diabetes, too many women with GD receive little or no follow-up care after pregnancy.’
Personal Experiences Highlight Gaps in Care
Meg, a 33-year-old teacher from Somerset, was diagnosed with gestational diabetes in 2020 while pregnant with her son. Despite being considered high risk for type 2 diabetes due to GD and other factors such as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome and family history, she has not had a postnatal check-up regarding her diabetes risks.
Meg shared her experience: ‘I had gestational diabetes for the last two weeks of my pregnancy before my son arrived prematurely at 29 weeks. I was given no information about my increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and the steps I could take to prevent it. I had a phone call with my GP after the birth, but there weren’t any discussions about my gestational diabetes.’
She emphasized the importance of clear information: ‘Having clear facts about what gestational diabetes means for you during and after pregnancy, and how to manage it, would have made me feel so much more supported, both physically and mentally.’
