Prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus among Kuwaiti Children and Adolescents

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among 6- to 18-year-old Kuwaiti children. Subjects and Methods: Children with type 2 diabetes were identified at 182 schools (50 primary, 63 intermediate, and 69 secondary) randomly selected using the 2000/2001 educational districts’ registers as a sampling frame. Prevalence rates were adjusted to the 2002 Kuwaiti population. Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes was based on the World Health Organization and the American Diabetes Association criteria. Results: Type 2 diabetes was identified in 45 of the 128,918 children surveyed, thereby giving an overall prevalence of 34.9 per 100,000 [95% confidence interval (CI) 24.7–45.1]. There was a significant difference in prevalence between males (47.3, 95% CI 28.7–65.8) and females (26.3, 95% CI 14.8–37.8) at p = 0.05 and a significant trend for an increase in prevalence of type 2 diabetes with age (p = 0.026). The overall age-adjusted prevalence rate in the 2002 Kuwaiti population was 33.2 (95% CI 26.6–39.9), 41.6 (95% CI 31.2–52.0) in male and 24.6 (95% CI 16.4–32.7) in female children; the difference was significant at p = 0.013. There was no significant difference in prevalence between regions. Children with type 2 diabetes had a significantly higher frequency (51.1%) of a positive family history of diabetes than children of a similar age without type 2 diabetes (22.2%) (p = 0.004). Conclusion: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in adult Kuwaitis is spreading to children and adolescents, making it an emergency public health problem. Efforts need to be initiated to address prevention strategies of type 2 diabetes in youth.