Weighing in on the issues of type 2 diabetes in children: a review.

Purpose: The purpose of this review is to present the clinical issues, including risk, etiology, screening and identification, complications, management, and prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in children and to discuss the role of the pediatric physical therapist in effectively managing children with T2DM.

Summary Of Key Points: In studies done worldwide, T2DM is being diagnosed in children at rates much greater than that of type 1 diabetes. Sedentary lifestyle and the high prevalence of obesity are the primary problems, setting the stage for a lifetime of health complications for many of today's youth.