The misery of giving tiny babies regular insulin injections is over. Babies born with diabetes can now be treated successfully with tablets instead of injections, a new study suggests.

Growing numbers of children and young people are developing type 2 diabetes, a disease usually seen in those aged over 40, in the latest sign of worsening childhood obesity.

More than a decade ago, pediatricians across the country began seeing an alarming increase in children with type 2 diabetes, particularly among minorities and youngsters from low-income families.

Children who sleep less may be at increased risk for Type 2 diabetes, researchers report. Earlier studies found a link between shorter sleep and diabetes in adults, but the connection has been little studied in children.