Experts at Imperial College London have warned of a 'worrying increase' in young women aged 20-29 developing type 2 diabetes in England, closely linked to rising obesity rates since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Analysis of NHS data from 2011 to 2024 reveals a sharp rise in diagnoses among younger adults, with body mass index (BMI) at diagnosis increasing more rapidly in this group compared to older age brackets.

While older adults still account for the majority of new cases, the study highlights a significant surge in diagnoses under 40, particularly among women.

Researchers attribute this trend to the earlier onset of severe obesity in younger populations, which elevates diabetes risk and reduces the age at which the condition is diagnosed.The study challenges previous assumptions that ethnic minority groups bear the brunt of this trend, showing similar increases in white populations.

Diabetes UK emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and lifestyle interventions, such as healthy diets and obesity treatments like GLP-1 medications, to mitigate long-term complications.

The report also notes that obesity rates in England have worsened since the pandemic, with nearly one in three people now affected, and the most pronounced increases observed in younger adults.The findings underscore a growing public health challenge requiring targeted interventions to address rising diabetes cases in younger demographics.