RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a new study from the peer-reviewed medical journal, Diabetes Care, showing the number of young people with diabetes is likely to increase more rapidly over the next few decades.
The forecast comes as Central Virginians are currently dealing with a shortage of at least two drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes.
One deputy director with the CDC said the new research should serve as a “wake-up call for all of us”.
Researchers predict more young people under 20 have been or will be diagnosed with diabetes between 2017 and 2060.
The study from Diabetes Care said as many as 220,000 young people could have type 2 diabetes in 2060. Type 2 is a type of diabetes that develops over time based on a person’s lifestyle. The CDC said that just over the last two decades, type 2 diabetes has substantially increased in young people.
Two months ago, 8News reported Central Virginians have been having issues getting Trulicity and Ozempic, two non-insulin treatments for type 2 diabetics.
One Central Virginia woman said her pharmacist said they have no idea when their next shipment of Trulicity will come in.
There’s a shortage of both drugs because experts said some folks are using diabetes drugs for weight loss. The drug manufacturer, Eli Lilly, said it expects to double the amount of those diabetes drugs by the end of the year.
The CDC said type 2 diabetes can be prevented with lifestyle changes like losing weight or getting more physically active. The organization said prediabetes can be reversed.
To learn more about how to prevent type 2 diabetes, click here.
