1 in 3 Teens Have Prediabetes, CDC Data Shows
Oct 01, 2025•8 min
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Episode description
- About 1 in 3 American teens — more than 8 million adolescents — already live with prediabetes, putting them at high risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke later in life
- Prediabetes is often silent, with many teens showing no symptoms, which means serious damage begins long before the condition is diagnosed
- Risk is higher in teens who are overweight, eat ultraprocessed foods, or are inactive, but lifestyle changes dramatically lower their chances of developing diabetes
- When prediabetes progresses, it damages blood vessels, disrupts energy production inside cells, and strains your pancreas until it no longer keeps blood sugar in check
- Parents play a key role in reversing prediabetes by encouraging healthier food choices, daily movement, regular sunlight, and monitoring blood sugar markers before Type 2 diabetes takes hold
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