8 Jan 2026 • Adolescents with delayed pubertal development faced a substantially higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in early adulthood, according to new findings.

The study tracked more than 964,000 male adolescents over more than 15 million person-years of follow-up; type 2 diabetes occurred in 2.6% of men with delayed puberty versus 0.7% of those with typical pubertal timing, corresponding to incidence rates of 140 and 41 cases per 100,000 person-years, respectively. Delayed puberty was associated with a nearly 2.5-fold increase in diabetes risk (HR 2.47), and the association persisted after adjustment for baseline body mass index (HR 1.37).

These results indicate that pubertal timing may serve as an early marker of long-term metabolic vulnerability, warranting closer follow-up and preventive efforts.

Source: Lancet | Read full story