“Fewer than 1% of U.S. teens have diabetes, but nearly 18% have pre-diabetes, according to a new analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).Researchers tested 2,606 adolescents, ages 12 to 19, for diabetes and found that the weighted prevalence was 0.8%, of which 28.5% of cases were undiagnosed, according to Andy Menke, PhD, of Social & Scientific Systems in Silver Spring, Md., and colleagues.”
Source: Pre-Diabetes Prevalent Among U.S. Teens | Medpage Today
Among U.S. adolescents with diabetes, 90% of it is type 1.
Prediabetes tends to progress into type 2 diabetes over time. We don’t know much about stopping that in adolescents. I bet these steps would help:
- If you’re overweight or obese, lose excess fat weight. How much should you lose? Aim for at least 5% of body weight and see if that cures your prediabetes. For instance, if you weigh 200 lb (91 kg), lose 10 lb (4.5 kg).
- If you’re sedentary, start exercising regularly.
- Cut back on your consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, other sugar sources, and other refined carbohydrates like wheat flour.
Steve Parker, M.D.
Diabetic Mediterranean Diet 