Foreword from the Editor, Type 2 Diabetes in Youth Supplement

Type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents is no longer a rare condition. Once considered almost exclusively an adult disease, it has become one of the most significant chronic health challenges affecting young people worldwide. In Australia, its incidence continues to rise, driven by increasing rates of obesity and compounded by social and environmental factors that contribute to health inequities. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and adolescents are disproportionately affected, highlighting the need for culturally safe and equitable models of care.

Youth-onset type 2 diabetes is characterised by more rapid progression, earlier complications and greater long-term morbidity than adult-onset disease. Early diagnosis, timely intervention and co-ordinated multidisciplinary care are therefore essential, with GPs playing a pivotal role in recognising at-risk young people and supporting their ongoing management.

This supplement provides a practical overview of contemporary care for youth-onset type 2 diabetes. It includes an overview of the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of the condition, alongside articles exploring the disproportionate burden of disease among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, advances in pharmacotherapy, the expanding role of diabetes technologies and digital health, and the management of obesity as a key driver of youth-onset type 2 diabetes.

Together, these articles provide practical, evidence-based guidance to support GPs and other clinicians caring for young people with type 2 diabetes. As our understanding of this rapidly evolving condition continues to grow, so too does our ability to intervene earlier, individualise treatment and improve long-term outcomes.