Emergence of type 2 diabetes in French children

Increasing awareness of the heterogeneity of diabetes mellitus (DM) at presentation is changing our approach to this disease. We used the American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria to determine the distribution of DM patterns in a large pediatric cohort, with the aim of documenting the emergence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Charts of diabetic children aged 1 to 16 years and admitted to our center between 1993 and 1998 were reviewed for data needed to classify the type of diabetes mellitus. They were compared with the charts of diabetic children admitted to our center in 2001. During the first period, 3 70 children were admitted for diabetes, and type 2 diabetes was diagnosed in 8 cases. In 2001, 90 children were admitted for diabetes, of whom 5 were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The incidence of type 2 diabetes in France remains relatively low. Even though our data seem to indicate a slight increase, they are far below the figures reported by American pediatricians. However, cases in France are marked by major obesity. With the increase in childhood obesity in France, the incidence of type 2 diabetes may eventually rise to North American levels.