Clinical Approach to Diabetes in the Young in India

Abstract

According to the ICMR-INDIAB study, currently in India, there are an estimated 62.4 million individuals with diabetes and this is expected to increase to over 100 million by 2030. Population-based estimates for diabetes in children and adolescents are lacking in our country. However, available data suggests that the revalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is not only increasing, but there is also a shift of age at onset of T2DM toward younger age groups. A variety of types of diabetes are seen at younger age groups including type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM),T2DM, maturity onset diabetes of young, ibrocalculous pancreatic diabetes, gestational diabetes, endocrine diabetes and diabetes secondary to genetic syndrome. This review describes the diagnostic algorithm and treatment approaches of different forms of diabetes in the young and emphasizes the need to classify diabetes in the young as accurately as possible.