Research indicates a surge in type 2 diabetes diagnoses among women under 40, highlighting a shift towards younger populations and raising concerns over lifestyle factors and missed diagnoses.
Type 2 diabetes is increasingly being diagnosed in younger adults, with the sharpest rise seen among women under 40, according to research from Imperial College London and recent figures highlighted by Diabetes UK. The trend suggests the condition is no longer confined mainly to older people, as cases among younger women are climbing at a markedly faster pace than in previous years.
Imperial College London analysed England’s national diabetes audit data from 2011 to 2024 and found that diagnoses in adults aged 60 to 79 were falling, while rates among people under 40 were rising. The strongest growth was seen among women in their 20s and 30s, including White, Asian and Black women. Imperial said the pattern points to a generational shift in who is being affected by the disease.
Diabetes UK has added to those concerns, reporting that diagnoses in women under 40 rose 47% between 2017-18 and 2023-24, compared with a 22% increase among women aged 40 to 79. The charity said type 2 diabetes can lead to serious complications such as heart attacks and strokes, and warned that women who had gestational diabetes during pregnancy may not be getting enough follow-up care afterwards.
Doctors say the rise is being driven largely by lifestyle factors, especially inactivity, poor diet and obesity. Baptist Gallwitz, an endocrinologist and spokesman for the German Diabetes Association, said the world is moving too little and consuming too much sugar and too many calories. He also welcomed a tax on sugary drinks in Germany but said broader action is still needed, including healthier school meals, more exercise in schools and tax rules that favour fresh fruit and vegetables.
Experts also say women may be diagnosed later than men. A 2025 review by Alexandra Kautzky-Willer in Deutsches Ärzteblatt said women often already have obesity, high blood pressure and greater weight gain by the time they are diagnosed, which can raise the risk of heart disease. She argued that relying only on fasting blood glucose can miss some cases because it does not capture spikes after meals, and said a glucose tolerance test may sometimes be more useful, if more time-consuming.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
