Objective: To analyze the time trend of the nationwide incidence of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents < or = 15 years of age compared with type 1 diabetes between 1999 and 2007 in Austria.
Study design: In a prospective, population-based incidence study, all newly diagnosed patients with diabetes < or = 15 years of age were registered by the Austrian Diabetes Incidence Study Group. The Diabetes type was classified on the basis of clinical and laboratory findings according to ADA criteria. Time trends were estimated by linear regression models.
Results: During the observation period, 1881 patients with type 1 diabetes and 34 patients with type 2 diabetes could be identified. Sixty-two percent of patients with type 2 diabetes were female, 56% had a positive family history for type 2 diabetes, and 74% presented with diabetes-specific symptoms. The incidence of type 1 diabetes in Austria increased from 12.0 to 18.4/100,000 (P < .001) and the incidence of type 2 diabetes remained stable below 0.6/100 000 (P = .706).
Conclusions: The incidence of type 2 diabetes in Austrian children is 10-fold lower than reported in other regions and did not increase over the last 8 years. During the same time period, a significant rise in the incidence of type 1 diabetes was observed.