Rise in early onset of type 2 diabetes in younger people to be discussed by healthcare experts

Symposium will address issue of increasingly young people being diagnosed. 

A group of leading diabetes experts will come together for a national symposium focused on the growing challenge of early onset type 2 diabetes.

Healthcare professionals will discuss the worrying trend that the condition is increasingly being seen in younger adults and even adolescents.

The Early Onset Type 2 Diabetes Symposium is set to take place on Wednesday, 14th January 2026 at the Leicester Diabetes Centre, at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust’s Leicester General Hospital site.

Clinicians, researchers, educators, and policymakers will explore best methods to prevent, diagnose, and manage type 2 diabetes from developing at an early age.

The symposium will cover early diagnosis with a focus on women’s health, management strategies, psychosocial support, and the role of technology in improving outcomes for younger people living with type 2 diabetes.

The event will be introduced by Professor Melanie Davies CBE, Co-Director of the Leicester Diabetes Centre, Professor of Diabetes Medicine at the University of Leicester, and will feature keynote presentations and panel discussions from some of the UK’s foremost diabetes specialists.

Among those set to give presentations include:

• Professor Claire Meek, Professor of Chemical Pathology and Diabetes in Pregnancy, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and University of Leicester
• Clinical Associate Professor Shivani Misra, Consultant Physician in Diabetes & Metabolic Medicine at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
• Associate Professor Emma Wilmot, Consultant Diabetologist and founder of the Diabetes Technology Network UK

Professor Davies said: “We are seeing an increasing number of people developing type 2 diabetes at a younger age, often in their 20s, 30s and 40s, and this has major implications for their long-term health but also healthcare delivery. This symposium brings together the leading minds in diabetes care and research to share knowledge, explore solutions, and improve outcomes for this growing group of patients.”

The one-day event is aimed at healthcare professionals involved in diabetes care, including clinicians, diabetes specialist nurses, allied health professionals, researchers, and educators.

To register your place for the free to attend event click here

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