Early diabetes and premature death

Type 2 diabetes before age 20 leads to a high risk of kidney disease and death by middle age, a significant finding because worldwide obesity is exposing more children to the disease, researchers say.

In the U.S., so-called adult onset or Type 2 diabetes will be more prevalent than juvenile or Type 1 diabetes in children within 10 years, the study from the National Institutes of Health said. The findings were reported in the July 26 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Assn.