Type 2 diabetes mellitus in minority children and adolescents - An emerging problem

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a disease of adults and has been considered rar e in the pediatric population. Over the last decade, however, there has bee n a disturbing trend of increasing cases of type 2 diabetes in children, pa rticularly adolescents, and with a greater proportion of minority children being affected. This article reviews the clinical characteristics of youth with type 2 diabetes, presents the risk factors associated with insulin res istance and type 2 diabetes, discusses treatment options, and projects futu re directions in research. The ultimate goal is to raise awareness of this challenging entity among healthcare professionals.