An estimated 1 in 3 teens and preteens, ages 12 to 17, have prediabetes, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC data means an estimated 8.4 million young people — or 32.7% of the U.S. adolescent population — had prediabetes in 2023, the most recent data available.
With prediabetes, blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
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Prediabetes, which the CDC calls a “critical warning sign,” increases a person’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes as well as other conditions like heart disease and stroke.
Separate from the new data among teens, new diabetes diagnoses among adults have also stopped decreasing after more than a decade of decline — with about 1.5 million diagnoses in 2023, the most recent data.
In a statement, Dr. Christopher Holliday, the CDC’s top official in charge of diabetes prevention, said Type 2 diabetes poses a “significant threat” to young people’s health.
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“Simple life changes – like healthy eating and staying active – can make a big difference in preventing or delaying type 2 diabetes,” said Holliday, who called the new data “a wake-up call.”
Risk factors for prediabetes include being overweight, having a parent or sibling with Type 2 diabetes, as well as being physically active less than three times a week, according to the CDC.
The disease can be prevented by losing weight if overweight and being more physically active, the agency added.
