Youth mortality rate for diabetes is rising

MORE youngsters are dying from diabetes in the UK than in other EU countries, scientists have warned.

Emerging research from the Institute of Child Health at University College London found the UK has a “high and rising” diabetes mortality rate compared with the EU among 15-to-24-year-olds.

For children aged from one to 14, however, there was a decline in mortality at a higher rate than other members of the EU.

Professor Russell Viner, who led the study, said it is in older children that more serious health problems are likely to occur. He also stressed the research did not explore the reasons why the UK is falling behind, but said he believed it was down to factors including higher levels of inequality and poverty, healthcare issues and population factors.

“This is a significant concern given that we know that diabetes control is poor,” he said. “This is going that next step and saying that death is rising.”

By analysing World Health Organisation (WHO) data from 1990 to 2010, his team also found there was little change in diabetes mortality among one-to-14-year-olds in the United States, but a significant rise in diabetes mortality among 15-to-24-year-olds.

While in 1990 the UK had higher mortality than comparable EU countries among one-to-14-year-olds but not among 15-to-24-year-olds, rates have not significantly changed in the EU countries since then.

More children are being diagnosed with diabetes than ever before, and a Welsh study published earlier this month found that children with type 1 diabetes are almost five times as likely to be admitted to hospital than those without.