MILWAUKEE — While National Diabetes Awareness Month will come to an end later this week, data shows more and more children will continue to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes across the country.

“A big part of it comes down to genetics,” said Dr. Elizabeth Mann, pediatric endocrinologist and director of UW Health Kids’ Type 2 Diabetes Program. “Type 2 diabetes happens in kids who have obesity, which kind of just shows they’re at risk for a lot of the obesity-related complications, of which Type 2 diabetes is one of them.”

UW Health Kids reports that significantly more kids in Wisconsin are being treated for Type 2 diabetes through their programs. While upwards of 20 kids were being treated each year until 2020, the organization now reports seeing 80 to 90 pediatric patients each year.

“The bottom line is it tends to run in families,” Mann said. “Because of that, we’re seeing more and more cases.”

Watch the full interview above.