England is seeing a "worrying increase" in young women in their 20s developing type 2 diabetes, experts at Imperial College London have warned.
The rise has largely occurred since the Covid pandemic and is closely linked to increasing obesity levels, according to an analysis of NHS data from 2011 to 2024, external.
Type 2 diabetes is serious, and can lead to severe complications, such as heart attacks and strokes.
When it develops at a younger age, the disease tends to be more aggressive, raising the risk of devastating complications and cutting lives short, according to Diabetes UK.
It is vital that those at risk are diagnosed early to prevent long-term organ damage, the charity says.
Type 2 diabetes can sometimes be put into remission by eating a healthy diet and keeping slim without needing to rely on glucose-lowering medications.
The researchers say newer obesity treatments - such as GLP-1 jabs and pills - might help, alongside healthy eating advice.
Source: BBC News, 22 July 2026
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