A disturbing increase in type 2 diabetes among kids is also impacting males more than females, Elizabeth Tracey reports

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While the overall rate of type 2 diabetes has increased among US youth during the pandemic, there are some surprising features of this increase. Sheela Magge, a pediatric endocrinology expert at Johns Hopkins and one author of a study identifying the increase, explains.

Magge: Prepandemic, type 2 diabetes during childhood usually affects more females than males but during the pandemic with that increase it flipped to higher in males lower in females. If a child is going to develop type 2 diabetes it generally occurs during adolescence, when you’re going through puberty. And during adolescence many boys are more physically active, are on sports teams and different sports after school. All of those were shut down during the pandemic.  :28

Magge says knowing that physical activity is an important factor for boys especially points to at least one path to intervention, noting that this strategy is also important for girls, along with other lifestyle interventions. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.