According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the number of obese children (ages 6-19) in the United States has more than tripled since 1980. More than 9 million young people (over 16 percent of the total population) are considered obese and there are no signs that this number will decrease in the future. Obesity is not the only concern for these individuals as their weight problem could lead to more serious health conditions, most notably type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, occurs when either not enough insulin is produced in the body or the body does not respond to insulin production sufficiently. Insulin is a hormone that assists cells in removing glucose from the blood and converting it to a storage form. If cells are resistant to insulin, this will lead to high blood-glucose levels and consequently high levels of insulin. Generally people develop type 2 diabetes, or what was once termed adult-onset diabetes, in their forties or fifties. The increasing number of obese children is leading to an increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes in adolescents.

Childhood obesity has been increasing at an alarming rate over the last few years. Approximately 15 % of children ages 6-19 (9 million children) are considered obese with the number of obese individuals ages 12-19 nearly tripling since 1980. The most alarming number is that 10% of young children ages 2-5 are overweight, an increase of 7% just 10 years ago. These numbers have led to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes for adolescents. The CDC has reported that 33% of males and 39% of females born after the year 2000 will be at high risk for developing diabetes. According to these figures, one third of the population born in 2000 could be diabetic in their adult life.

The risk factors for developing diabetes include being overweight, having a parent or sibling who has developed diabetes, high blood pressure, low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, and physical inactivity. Steps can be taken to prevent diabetes if these factors are present. The best way to prevent diabetes is to participate in a regular physical activity program and consume a healthy diet. A healthy diet and exercise will help lead to weight loss which will decrease the risk for diabetes. If you are overweight or obese, the risk for developing diabetes could decrease by as much as 50% by losing just 10 pounds. Decreasing the risk for diabetes can be as easy as incorporating regular exercise of at least 30 minutes a day and a low fat diet into your lifestyle.

From an exercise standpoint, the best thing you can do is engage in some form of aerobic exercise. Thirty minutes of aerobic exercise a day will be very beneficial if you were previously inactive and are at risk for diabetes. Activities like walking, jogging, biking and swimming will elevate your heart rate and will help lead to a healthier lifestyle. Getting enough fruits, vegetables and grains are key components to a healthy diet. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is very important because of the soluble fiber that they provide. Soluble fiber plays an integral role in diabetes prevention because it can help slow down or reduce the amount of glucose absorbed, keeping your blood-glucose level consistently low.

The diabetes problem in the United States will not subside unless we take the right steps to living a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise and a healthy diet. Adolescent obesity is at an all-time high in the United States and the age at which individuals are developing diabetes is decreasing every year. These conditions make personal training a profession that will continue to grow at a rapid pace. The opportunities for qualified trainers to provide exercise programming and nutritional information are on the rise as these individuals look to trainers to address their growing needs and help modify unhealthy behavior patterns. The take home message is that the adoption of a healthy lifestyle through behavior modifications can decrease the risk for the development of diabetes in almost all cases.