Childhood adversity is linked to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes as young adults

According to a recently published article in Diabetologia, the official journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), there is a higher likelihood for individuals who have undergone childhood adversity to develop type 2 diabetes (T2D) at a young age.

Adversity experienced during childhood, which can encompass events like maltreatment, illness in the family, and living in poverty, has been linked to an increased likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) in early adulthood. Such experiences can trigger physiological stress responses that affect the nervous system, hormones, and immune system.

Additionally, they can impact mental well-being and lead to unhealthy behaviours, including poor sleep, smoking, reduced physical activity, sedentary behaviour, increased alcohol consumption, and unhealthy eating habits. These behaviours can result in obesity and a higher risk of developing T2D. This was found by researchers at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

The study included children born in Denmark since 1980 and followed them from age 16 onwards. Out of 1.2 million participants, 2,560 women and 2,300 men developed type 2 diabetes during the study's follow-up period, which lasted an average of 10.8 years.

The authors found that the relative risks of developing type 2 diabetes following childhood adversity were lower among women than men across all groups. The study reveals that early interventions targeting the fundamental causes of childhood adversity, such as poverty and illness, could prevent some cases of type 2 diabetes in young adulthood.

The researchers also note that there is a close relationship between parental education levels and children's experience of adversity, which explains some of the observed association. The study is strengthened by its large size and freedom from selection or recall bias.

The researchers concluded that identifying and addressing the risk factors for type 2 diabetes in early adulthood is crucial to public health, especially given the aggressive pathology of early-onset type 2 diabetes and the increased risk of complications.

The researchers suggest that early interventions targeting the root causes of childhood adversity could prevent or reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in young adulthood. By addressing the negative impact of adversity on children's lives, a portion of the T2D cases that arise in early adulthood may be preventable.