(Dallas Express)—A startling new statistic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that roughly one in three American teens and preteens, ages 12 to 17, have prediabetes.
With 32.7% of the demographic considered diabetic, that means an estimated 8.4 million teens and preteens fall into the classification. While prediabetes implies a person has higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, it is not high enough to be classified as a person with type 2 diabetes.
Instead, the CDC says prediabetes is a “critical warning sign” that an individual is at risk of developing type 2 diabetes or health conditions, like heart disease and stroke, per ABC News.
Earlier this year, The Dallas Express reported that more than half of all adults in the country have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. However, that number may be an underestimate. The American Heart Association says heart disease remains the top cause of death in the United States.
Dr. Christopher Holliday, the CDC’s top official in charge of diabetes prevention, said the latest data is “a wake-up call.”
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