New research reveals that type 2 diabetes is increasing rapidly among women under 40 in Britain, disrupting the traditional view that it is mainly an illness of older adults and highlighting a widening public health challenge.
New research from Britain suggests type 2 diabetes is rising fastest among women under 40, challenging the long-held view that the illness is chiefly a disease of older adults. Analysts writing in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe said the trend is especially pronounced in England, where the number of new diagnoses has increased most sharply among younger women of several ethnic backgrounds.
The findings come from an analysis of England’s National Diabetes Audit covering 2011 to 2024. According to the study, prevalence among adults aged 60 to 79 fell over that period, while rates climbed in those under 40. The biggest increases were seen in women in their 20s across white, Asian and Black groups, as well as in white women in their 30s.
Researchers said the pattern reflects a broader shift in how type 2 diabetes is appearing in the population. Shivani Misra, the study’s lead author at Imperial College London, told the university that discussion of early-onset disease has often focused on ethnic minority communities, but the new data show it is also rising among white people. That, she said, suggests the public health challenge is widening and affecting more people in younger age groups.
The concern is not limited to Britain. Baptist Gallwitz, an endocrinologist and a representative of the German Diabetes Society, said the condition is increasing in many countries and that Germany is seeing more diagnoses in children and teenagers. The German Diabetes Society’s 2026 report said cases among 11- to 17-year-olds rose by an average of 5.8% a year between 2014 and 2023. Gallwitz linked much of the increase to lifestyle factors, including low physical activity, high sugar intake and rising obesity.
Type 2 diabetes develops when the body does not produce enough insulin or cannot use it effectively, causing blood glucose to rise. That differs from type 1 diabetes, in which insulin-producing cells are destroyed and the body is left with a severe insulin shortage. The World Health Organization says excess weight, inactivity, poor diet and family history are among the main risk factors, while the NHS lists age over 40 as one factor, alongside being overweight and having a family history of the condition. But the latest research suggests age alone is no longer a reliable guide.
The illness can also be missed in women. A 2025 report in Deutsches Ärzteblatt said type 2 diabetes is often diagnosed later in women than in men, partly because fasting blood glucose tests can overlook rises that happen after meals. Alexandra Kautzky-Willer, one of the report’s authors, said women often have lower fasting glucose levels than men, which can delay detection. By the time the disease is found, they may already have more weight gain, higher blood pressure and a greater risk of heart attack or stroke.
Helen Kirrane of Diabetes UK said the diagnosis is serious at any age, but can be more aggressive in younger patients, raising the risk of severe complications and shortening life expectancy. Health groups including Diabetes UK, the CDC and the WHO all stress earlier screening, better diet, more exercise and wider public health measures as the best way to slow the rise in younger people.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
