Diabetes Incidence (New Cases) in Children

There is no state surveillance of diabetes in children. The best information available is from a national study, the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study. The incidence rates published in the public domain are reprinted here (in abbreviated format). These estimates are from the largest surveillance effort on diabetes in youth conducted in the United States to date.

For more information on the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study estimates of diabetes incidence, please see the full publication:

Writing Group for the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study Group, Dabelea D, Bell RA, D'Agostino RB Jr, Imperatore G, Johansen JM, Linder B, Liu LL, Loots B, Marcovina S, Mayer-Davis EJ, Pettitt DJ, Waitzfelder B. Incidence of diabetes in youth in the United States: the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study. JAMA 2007;297:2716-2724.

Table 1. Incidence rates of diabetes (2002-2003) per 100,000 person-years* by age group, sex, and race/ethnicity.

	Incidence Rate	95% Confidence Interval
Total	24.3	(32.3-25.3)
Age Group
0-4	14.3	(12.9-15.9)
5-9	22.9	(21.1-24.9)
10-14	33.9	(31.8-36.2)
15-19	24.9	(23.0-26.9)
Gender
Male	23.3	(22.0-24.6)
Female	25.3	(23.9-26.8)
Race/Ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic	26.1	(24.8-27.4)
Black, non-Hispanic	25.4	(23.0-28.2)
Hispanic	20.2	(18.1-22.5)
Asian/Pacific Islander	16.7	(14.1-19.9)
American Indian	25.0	(19.8-31.5)

Table 2. Incidence rates of diabetes (2002-2003) per 100,000 person-years* by age group, race/ethnicity, and diabetes mellitus type.

	Type 1		Type 2
	Incidence Rate	95% Confidence Interval	Incidence Rate	95% Confidence Interval
Aged 0-4 years
White, non-Hispanic	18.6	(16.5-21.0)	0.0	(0.0-0.3)
Black, non-Hispanic	9.7	(6.9-13.6)	0.0	(0.0-1.1)
Hispanic	9.1	(6.7-12.5)	0.0	(0.0-0.9)
Asian/Pacific Islander	6.1	(3.5-10.9)	0.0	(0.0-2.1)
American Indian	4.1	(1.3-13.0)	0.0	(0.0-6.0)
All groups	14.3	(12.9-15.9)	0.0	(0.0-0.2)
Aged 5-9 years
White, non-Hispanic	28.1	(25.5-31.0)	0.3	(0.1-0.7)
Black, non-Hispanic	16.2	(12.5-21.0)	1.7	(0.8-3.7)
Hispanic	15.7	(12.3-20.1)	1.3	(0.6-2.9)
Asian/Pacific Islander	8.0	(4.9-13.1)	2.2	(0.9-5.6)
American Indian	5.5	(2.1-14.5)	0.0	(0.0-5.6)
All groups	22.1	(20.3-24.1)	0.8	(0.5-1.2)
Aged 10-14 years
White, non-Hispanic	32.9	(30.2-35.8)	3.0	(2.3-4.0)
Black, non-Hispanic	19.2	(15.4-24.1)	22.3	(18.1-27.5)
Hispanic	17.6	(14.0-22.2)	8.9	(6.4-12.3)
Asian/Pacific Islander	8.3	(5.2-13.3)	11.8	(7.9-17.5)
American Indian	7.1	(3.2-15.8)	25.3	(16.4-39.0)
All groups	25.9	(24.0-27.9)	8.1	(7.1-9.2)
Aged 15-19 years
White, non-Hispanic	15.0	(13.2-17.1)	5.6	(4.5-6.9)
Black, non-Hispanic	11.1	(8.1-15.1)	19.4	(15.3-24.5)
Hispanic	12.1	(9.1-16.4)	17.0	(13.3-21.8)
Asian/Pacific Islander	6.8	(4.0-11.5)	22.7	(16.9-30.4)
American Indian	4.8	(1.7-13.2)	49.4	(35.6-68.5)
All groups	13.1	(11.8-14.6)	11.8	(10.5-13.2)

* "Person-years" is the total sum of the number of years each youth in the participating areas of the study had been at risk.