Scientists from McMaster University found that about a quarter of children with type 2 diabetes are not obese. Research published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
The researchers pooled and reanalyzed data from 53 previous studies involving almost nine thousand children in total. They found that 24.73% of children with type 2 diabetes were not obese.
Boys with type 2 diabetes were generally more obese than girls. Most often, type 2 diabetes occurred without obesity in children from Asian countries. European children with type 2 diabetes were more likely to be obese than others.
The study found that obesity is not a universal condition in children with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, more research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms that cause this condition, which will enable better detection and treatment of type 2 diabetes in children.
Also, screening for type 2 diabetes has now become more common in obese children. The results of the review suggest that the screening needs to be expanded and recommendations changed.