AAP Publishes First Guidelines to Manage Type 2 Diabetes in Children

For Release:  January 28, 2013

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Over the past three decades, the prevalence of childhood obesity has increased dramatically in North America, ushering a host of health problems, including type 2 diabetes, that formerly afflicted only adults. To assist physicians in caring for this population, the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a set of guidelines to provide evidence-based recommendations on managing type 2 diabetes in children ages 10 to 18. The guidelines are the first of their kind for this age group. The guidelines were written in consultation with the American Diabetes Association, the Pediatric Endocrine Society, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The guidelines, and an accompanying technical report, are published in the February 2013 issue of Pediatrics and were released online Jan. 28. The guidelines recommend beginning treatment with insulin at the time of diagnosis in all patients who are ketotic or in ketoacidosis, markedly hyperglycemic, or in whom the distinction between type 1 and type 2 diabetes is not clear. In all others, metformin is recommended as first-line therapy, along with a lifestyle modification program including nutrition and physical activity. The guidelines include recommendations for monitoring pediatric patients’ glycemic control, implementing insulin regimens, and diet and physical activity recommendations.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. (www.aap.org)