Youth-onset diabetes is a serious chronic health condition that poses significant risks to affected individuals, especially those with type 2 diabetes and those from racial and ethnic minority groups, such as non-Hispanic Black individuals. Previous research has shown an increase in the incidence of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes among youth in the US prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the respiratory virus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, has been associated with potential damage to pancreatic cells, leading to acute diabetes. The COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated various risk factors for diabetes, including reduced physical activity, increased sedentary behaviors, sleep disturbances, and a higher intake of processed foods.
