People under 40 diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are FOUR times more likely to die than the rest of the general UK population

People diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before the age of 40 have a mortality rate four times higher than the general UK population, a study has found.

Those with early-onset disease also had a higher risk of complications such as blindness, limb amputation and kidney failure.

Researchers at the University of Oxford say their findings highlight the need to improve care for these patients and to develop new medicines that can reduce harm.

They examined data from 4,550 newly diagnosed diabetics aged 25 to 65 over a period of up to 30 years.

The analysis revealed that adults with late-onset type 2 diabetes have a one-and-a-half times higher risk of death compared to the general population.

Analysis revealed that adults with late-onset type 2 diabetes have a one-and-a-half times higher risk of death compared to the general population (file image)

Researchers from the University of Oxford say their findings highlight the need to improve care for these patients and develop new medicines that can reduce harm (file image)

But this number rises to four times more among those diagnosed at an earlier age, when the disease is typically more aggressive and has more time to cause damage.

People diagnosed before age 40 also had a higher rate of diabetes-related complications, particularly microvascular diseases such as eye damage and kidney failure.

And a younger age at diagnosis was also associated with persistently worse blood sugar control.

Professor Amanda Adler, co-author of the study, said: “Over the past 30 years, the number of young adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes has risen sharply across the world.

“Evidence to date suggests that younger-onset type 2 diabetes, characterized by earlier and more prolonged exposure to high blood glucose levels, may be more aggressive than later-onset disease.”

This may include a more rapid deterioration in the function of beta cells – the cells in the pancreas that produce and release insulin – and a greater risk of complications such as cardiovascular and kidney disease.

‘Lead author Dr Beryl Lin said: ‘Our data support the need to proactively identify young adults with type 2 diabetes and provide high-quality care throughout their lives.

“We urgently need youth-focused clinical trials to develop personalized treatments that prevent or delay complications such as kidney and heart disease and, importantly, reduce the risk of premature death.”

People diagnosed before age 40 also had a higher rate of diabetes-related complications, particularly microvascular diseases such as eye damage and kidney failure, according to the study (file image).

Diabetes UK estimates that there are more than 5.6 million people in the UK living with diabetes, which is an all-time high.

Around nine in ten of them have type 2 diabetes, which is associated with unhealthy lifestyles.

The number of children and young adults (under 25) with type 2 diabetes increased by 54 per cent in England between 2016/17 and 2022/23.

The NHS spends at least £10 billion a year on diabetes, which is around 10% of its entire budget.

Almost 80 per cent of the money the NHS spends on diabetes is on treating complications.

In some hospitals, more than a quarter of beds are used by people with diabetes.

In 2022/23, there were 66 million items prescribed to people with diabetes in England, a number up from 42.5 million a decade earlier.

The findings were published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.

Helen Kirrane, head of policy and campaigns at Diabetes UK, said: “Type 2 diabetes diagnoses in people under 40 are rising to alarming levels in the UK and it is very worrying to see more evidence that those who develop the disease at a younger age are also more likely to die early.

“The Government faces a generational opportunity to halt this health crisis as it begins to shape its 10-year plan for the NHS.”

We also need bold action to reverse the rise in type 2 diabetes, reverse our failing food environment and give all children and young people the best possible chance of growing up in good health.’