People diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before age 20 were about twice as likely to have an ADHD diagnosis as young people without diabetes, according to an analysis of U.S. patient records presented at this year's European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) meeting in Milan. Among those diagnosed with diabetes as teenagers or younger, 14.4% had ADHD, compared with 6.9% of similarly aged peers. Autism showed an even wider gap, at 5.72% vs. 1.79%.
The findings come from a conference abstract and have not been published in a peer-reviewed journal. They show an association, not proof that ADHD or autism causes diabetes, or the reverse.
For parents, the study points to a practical concern. Type 2 diabetes that starts in youth tends to progress faster, and children and teens with ADHD or autism may face extra hurdles with appointments, medication routines, and blood sugar checks. Understanding that overlap can help families and clinicians plan care that fits.
A Large Records Study with a Striking Gap Among the Youngest Patients
Researchers led by Dr. Jonathan Goldney of the University of Leicester Diabetes Research Centre in the U.K. analyzed records from 4.2 million people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes between March 2006 and March 2026 in TriNetX, a U.S. network of health system data, according to the EASD release published by News-Medical. Each person was matched by age, birth year, sex, race, and ethnicity to people without diabetes, producing 3.4 million matched pairs.
Neurodivergent conditions were more common among people with type 2 diabetes at every age, but the gap was largest in the youngest group. By ages 70 to 79, ADHD was only about 1.4 times as common among people with diabetes, and overall rates were very low. Dyslexia was about twice as common among people with type 2 diabetes overall, with no obvious age pattern. Dyspraxia, a condition that affects movement and coordination, was also more common among those diagnosed before 20, at 1.3% vs. 0.4%, Psychiatric News reported.
"Health systems are failing to fully meet the needs of people living with both early-onset T2D and neurodiversity, both of which are linked to poorer health outcomes," Goldney said in the release. He stressed that "our findings by no means suggest that most people with a neurodivergent condition will go on to develop type 2 diabetes."
MedicalDaily Evidence Check: This is an observational study of health records presented as a conference abstract, not a peer-reviewed paper or clinical trial. It found an association between neurodivergent conditions and earlier type 2 diabetes. It did not prove cause and effect, and it does not change current screening or treatment guidelines.
Limits That Shape How Families Should Read the Numbers
The authors listed important caveats. Hospital records are not designed for research and can contain errors. People with ADHD or autism may see clinicians more often, which could lead to diabetes being detected earlier. The study included only people who had attended a hospital, which may leave out healthier young people and inflate prevalence estimates in the younger groups.
The researchers suggested several possible links worth studying, none of them confirmed, including lower physical activity, sleep problems, medication use, mental health conditions, and barriers to care. Some ADHD medications and certain psychiatric drugs can affect appetite or weight. The authors also noted that maternal diabetes has been associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes and later heart and metabolic risk in children. This analysis did not test any of these explanations.
The authors also raised a concern that goes beyond one study: early-onset type 2 diabetes, defined as diagnosis before age 40, is rising and carries higher risks of complications over a lifetime. A child diagnosed at 14 may live with the disease for decades, which increases the chance of kidney, eye, nerve, and heart problems.
According to the CDC, type 2 diabetes is increasing among U.S. children and teens, who are usually diagnosed in their early teens. Risk factors include overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, a family history of type 2 diabetes, and being born to a mother who had diabetes during pregnancy.
Practical Steps for Parents of Neurodivergent Kids
The study does not call for every child with ADHD or autism to be tested for diabetes. The American Diabetes Association's 2026 Standards of Care for children recommend risk-based screening starting at age 10 or at puberty, whichever comes first, for youth with overweight or obesity and at least one additional risk factor. Parents can ask their pediatrician whether their child meets those criteria.
Warning signs of high blood sugar include increased thirst, frequent urination, unusual tiredness, blurry vision, slow-healing sores, and dark, velvety patches of skin on the neck or armpits. These can be subtle in children who have trouble describing how they feel, so changes in behavior or bathroom habits are worth noting. Symptoms such as vomiting, rapid breathing, confusion, or extreme drowsiness need urgent care.
Families should not stop or change ADHD medication because of this study. Parents with concerns about appetite, weight, or sleep on a current medication can raise them with the prescribing clinician, who can weigh options.
Access and routine matter too. Parents can ask for longer appointment slots, written care plans, visual schedules for medication and glucose checks, and quieter waiting areas. "Taking neurodiversity into account could help reduce potential barriers to accessing and engaging with healthcare," Goldney said in the statement, which was also carried by HealthDay. Medicaid and CHIP cover diabetes screening and care for eligible children, and families facing costs can ask about diabetes education programs.
The researchers said future studies should examine why the conditions overlap and whether diabetes care adapted for neurodivergent patients improves results. Until peer-reviewed findings appear, the practical message is simple: know the risk factors, keep up with checkups, and ask for care that fits your child.
Key Questions Answered
What did the study find? Among people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before age 20, 14.4% had ADHD and 5.72% had autism, compared with 6.9% and 1.79% of similarly aged people without diabetes.
Does ADHD cause type 2 diabetes? No. The study found an association only. It cannot show that one condition causes the other.
Has the research been peer reviewed? Not yet. It was presented as a conference abstract at the EASD meeting in Milan.
Should my child with ADHD or autism be tested for diabetes? Ask your pediatrician. Guidelines recommend screening youth ages 10 and older, or at puberty if earlier, who have overweight or obesity and another risk factor, such as a family history.
What symptoms should parents watch for? Extra thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, blurry vision, and dark skin patches on the neck or armpits. Vomiting or confusion needs urgent care.
Should families change ADHD medication? No. Talk with the prescribing clinician before making any change.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
