Type 2 Diabetes: Screening for Children

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Overview

Starting at age 10 or at the start of puberty, children who have a body mass index (BMI) in the 85th percentile or higher for their age—or whose weight is more than 120% of ideal—and who have one of the following risk factors need to be tested for type 2 diabetes every 3 years. Risks include:footnote 1

  • Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes.
  • Having a birth parent who developed gestational diabetes while pregnant with the child.
  • Hispanic, African American, Native American, Asian American, or Pacific Island ancestry.
  • Signs of not being able to use insulin properly (insulin resistance) or conditions linked with it. These include:

References

Citations

  1. American Diabetes Association (2023). Standards of medical care in diabetes—2023. Diabetes Care, 46(Suppl 1): S1–S280. Accessed March 15, 2023.

Credits

Current as of: October 2, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

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