Childhood Diabetes Lawsuit

Lawsuits are being filed against “Big Food” companies who sell ultra-processed foods that are linked to childhood diabetes, also known as “juvenile diabetes” or type-2 diabetes in children.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting childhood diabetes cases in all 50 states. If your child was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes from eating ultra-processed foods, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Disease Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

Childhood Type-2 Diabetes and Ultra-Processed Food

Ultra-processed foods have been linked to a significantly increased risk of type-2 diabetes, according to a growing body of scientific research. Genetics play a role in diabetes, but the biggest risk-factors for type-2 diabetes in children are obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.

Health risks of ultra-processed foods are particularly significant for children, who get about 67% of their total energy from ultra-processed foods, according to a study between 1999 and 2018.

What is the Problem?

The childhood obesity rate has been steadily rising in the U.S. over the past two decades, and there is increasing evidence linking ultra-processed foods to excessive calories, weight-gain, and diabetes.

The problem may be rooted in the way ultra-processed foods are aggressively advertised toward children — with cartoon characters on the boxes, flashy packaging, and advertisements featuring children.

Parents are highly involved in their kids’ diets, too. Parents may be buying ultra-processed foods because they are inexpensive, shelf-stable, convenient for on-the-go snacking, and packing lunch-boxes.

Food Habits From Childhood Can Be Hard to Break

The long-term issues is that dietary habits that begin in childhood may be tough to break in adulthood, even if it is causing health problems.

In December 2023, Sen. Bernie Sanders warned about the “skyrocketing” rates of type-2 diabetes in kids. He wrote an op-ed in USA Today: “We can’t allow the food and beverage industry to destroy our kids’ health. … A good place to start would be to ban junk food ads targeted to kids.”

Ultra-Processed Food Addiction Linked to 5X Risk of Diabetes

Ultra-processed food addiction has been associated with a more than 5-times greater likelihood of type-2 diabetes, even when adjusting for sex and age, according to a study from 2023.

Experts such as Dr. Ashley Gearhardt have also testified to Congress that ultra-processed food addiction may be linked to the epidemic of diabetes and obesity:

“Many people demonstrate classic symptoms of addiction when consuming ultra-processed foods including a loss of control over intake, intense cravings, and continue consumption despite physical or emotional problems.”

What is Diabetes?

Type-2 diabetes in children, also known as “juvenile diabetes,” is a chronic disease that affects the way the body processes sugar (glucose) because it does not use insulin properly.

Most of the sugar in the body comes from food. When food is digested, sugar goes into the bloodstream. The body creates a hormone called insulin which tells the body to absorb sugar for fuel, which lowers the amount of sugar in the bloodstream.

When a child has type-2 diabetes, this process does not work properly. Sugar builds up in the bloodstream, causing high blood-sugar levels (called “hyperglycemia”). Left untreated, diabetes can cause serious health problems in nearly every part of the body.

Complications of Diabetes

Diabetes is a long-term disease that can be managed by eating a good diet, exercise, medications, and lifestyle changes. Left untreated, diabetes can cause serious health problems in the nerves, eyes, blood vessels, kidneys, and other parts of the body. It can even be deadly.

Symptoms of Type-2 Diabetes in Children

Type-2 diabetes develops gradually, so not all children will have serious symptoms right away. Some children might have symptoms if they have high blood-sugar levels, such as:

Thirst
Frequent urination
Increased hunger
Feeling more tired than usual
Blurry vision
Darkened areas of skin (usually around neck, armpits, groin)
Frequent infections
And more

Childhood Diabetes Lawsuits

Lawsuits have been filed against “Big Food” companies who sell ultra-processed foods and specifically advertise them to children. These companies are accused of putting profits over the health of children, leaving them with life-threatening chronic health issues like diabetes, fatty liver disease, obesity, food addiction, and other serious problems.

Ultra-Processed Food Lawsuit Filed By Man With Diabetes

One of the first ultra-processed food lawsuits was filed by a young man from Pennsylvania who was diagnosed at the age of 16 with type-2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease after consuming a diet that was high in ultra-processed foods.

His lawsuit names 11 major “Big Food” companies who sell ultra-processed foods, including Coca-Cola, Mondelez, Kraft-Heinz, PepsiCo., General Mills, Post Holdings, Nestle, WK Kellogg, Mars, Kellanova, and Conagra.

What Do Lawsuits Claim?

Lawyers claim that these companies have known for many years that their products are harmful to human health, especially for children, and yet engineered them to be as addictive as possible.

Some of these companies have roots in the tobacco industry, and the lawsuits claim they are using similar tactics in the “cigarette playbook” to sell their ultra-processed snack foods, candy, sodas, and other junk foods.

Do I Have a Childhood Diabetes Lawsuit?

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