Objective: To investigate incidence trends of all diabetes types in all children and young people and in the south Asian subpopulation.
Research design and methods: Annual incidence per 100,000 and time trends (1991-2006) were analyzed for 2,889 individuals aged 0-29 years diagnosed with diabetes while resident in West Yorkshire, U.K.
Results: Diagnoses comprised type 1 (83%), type 2 (12%), maturity-onset diabetes of the young (0.7%), "J"-type/other (0.1%), and uncertain/unclassified (4%). There was a lower incidence of type 1 and a threefold excess of type 2 in south Asians compared with non-south Asians. Type 1 incidence leveled out and type 2 increased after the first south Asian case of type 2 was diagnosed in 1999. Type 2 and unclassified diabetes incidence rose in all population subgroups.
Conclusions: The burden of diabetes increased over time for both ethnic groups, with a significant excess of type 2 diabetes in south Asians. The rising incidence of type 1 diabetes in south Asians attenuated as type 2 diabetes increased after 1999.