Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a disease
that is prevalent worldwide(1). It is estimated
that by the year 2030, worldwide, 300 million
people will suffer from diabetes, and that this
disease will be a leading cause of death(2). In
Brazil, 9.7% of people over 35 years of age have
diabetes(3). However, T2DM appears to have
been affecting the population at increasingly
younger ages.
A study investigating the risk factors for
T2DM in 794 adolescents in Fortaleza (CE) found
that 39% had at least two risk factors with regard
to type 2 diabetes. Most such risk factors identified
in this study are modifiable, and could be
subject to preventive interventions in the school
context(4).
T2DM, until recently, was considered a rare
disease in adolescence. However, in recent decades,
in industrialized countries, several authors
have reported a large increase in the incidence
of T2DM among adolescents, with similar characteristics
to those of adults. The outbreak of
cases of T2DM in childhood and adolescence is
a consequence of the global obesity epidemic
and the lack of physical activity. Currently, more
than 200 children and adolescents develop the
disease every day(5).