Kids who develop type 2 diabetes early in life are at high risk for a host of complications, Elizabeth Tracey reports

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Even if you’re only in your twenties if you’ve had diabetes for 10 years or more kidney disease, eye disease and nerve disease are likely, a sobering new study finds. Rita Kalyani, a diabetes expert at Johns Hopkins, says this study also finds the underlying common denominator, a measure of blood sugar known as hemoglobin A1c.

Kalyani: Now the question becomes how do we prevent these complications from developing? And when you look at their glycemic control, which is important, they weren’t able to maintain their glycemic control during this time. In fact only about 20% of them at the end of 15 years, had an A1c less than 6.5%, and one-third of them had an A1c greater than 10%. And so I think what this study really reveals is the importance of focusing on glycemic management from a young age.  :31

Kalyani urges young people with diabetes to focus first on controlling their blood sugar. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.