1. ¹German Diabetes Clinic, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Institute at Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
2. ²Third Medical Department and Policlinic, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Giessen, Germany
3. ³Institute of Biometrics and Epidemiology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Institute at Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
4. ⁴Public Health Office (Gesundheitsamt), Düsseldorf, Germany

Correspondence: Dr C Herder, German Diabetes Clinic, German Diabetes Center, Auf'm Hennekamp 65, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany. E-mail: christian.herder@ddz.uni-duesseldorf.de

Received 12 September 2006; Revised 31 January 2007; Accepted 21 February 2007; Published online 17 April 2007.

Abstract

The increase in prevalence of obesity in childhood and adolescence appears to be followed by a rise of type 2 diabetes (T2D) cases in youth. Studies from the United States indicated that more than 1 in 10 adolescents may have disturbed glucose metabolism and that ethnicity and socioeconomic status are major determinants of (pre) diabetes prevalence. Since data for European countries are rare, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in 721 school-leaving boys and girls (mean age 15.5 years) in Düsseldorf (Germany). In our population from a predominantly low socioeconomic background, a total of 2.5% had impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance or T2D. Hence, our study does not confirm the alarming data from high-risk US. American populations, but, nevertheless provides evidence for the necessity of public health interventions aiming at primary prevention of obesity and T2D in children and adolescents.