Managing Adolescents With Type 2Â Diabetes Mellitus

Over the past 3 decades, type 2 diabetes mellitus in adolescents, those between the ages of 12 and 18 years, has gone from unusual to increasingly common. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in youth increased by 35% from 2001 to 2009 and has continued to rise. This rise in prevalence is attributed to the increase in pediatric and adolescent obesity. The aim of this article is to provide the nurse practitioner with the tools necessary to treat this unique population using a holistic approach. We address information regarding lifestyle and medical management, growth and development, and the social determinants of health.