To assess the change in age at diagnosis of diabetes over time in a secondary care diabetes clinic, clinical characteristics of patients attending were compared in 1992 and 2005. Those of European and South Asian origins were analysed separately.
Results In 1992, 28.4% of patients of European and 7.5% of patients of South Asian origins had type 1 diabetes. These proportions were similar in 2005. Mean age at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes remained unchanged from 1992 to 2005: Europeans: 20.6 versus 20.2 years (p=0.63) and in South Asians: 23.7 versus 21.3 years (p=0.21). By contrast the age at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes was younger in both groups in 2005 compared with 1992: Europeans: 54.0 versus 57.1 years (p<0.001). South Asians: 47.5 versus 49.0 years (p=0.003).
Conclusions These data suggest an earlier age at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in those of both, European and South Asian origin over 13 years of study.
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