Prevalence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents in Germany from 2002 to 2020: A study based on electronic health record data from the DPV registry

BACKGROUND: To provide estimates of the nationwide prevalence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in individuals younger than 20 years of age in Germany from 2002 to 2020 and to identify trends. METHODS: Data were obtained from the electronic health record “Diabetes Prospective Follow‐up Registry (DPV)” specific to diabetes care. Prevalence was estimated based on prevalent cases at the end of each year for the years 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020 per 100 000 persons assuming a Poisson distribution and directly age‐ and/or sex‐standardized to the population in 2020. Individuals younger than 20 years of age with a clinical diagnosis of T1D or 10–19‐year‐olds with T2D were eligible for inclusion in the study. RESULTS: The standardized T1D prevalence per 100 000 persons was 138.9 (95% CI: 137.1; 140.6) in 2002 and 245.6 (243.1; 248.0) in 2020. The standardized T2D prevalence per 100 000 persons was 3.4 (3.1; 3.8) in 2002 and 10.8 (10.1; 11.5) in 2020. The annual percent change (APC) in prevalence declined over the three periods 2002–2008/2008–2014/2014–2020 (T1D: 6.3% [3.6%; 9.0%]/3.1% [0.7%; 5.5%]/0.5% [−1.7%; 2.85], T2D: 12.3% [5.3%; 20.8%]/4.7% [−0.6%; 10.3%]/3.0% [−1.8%; 8.0%]). From 2014 to 2020, the highest APCs were observed among 15–19‐year‐olds (T1D: 2.5% [1.3%; 3.6%], T2D: 3.4% [−0.5%; 7.5%]). CONCLUSIONS: The increase in diabetes prevalence has slowed, but medical care should be prepared for an increase in adolescents with diabetes.