The statistics speak for themselves: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 26 million Americans suffer from diabetes, and 7 million are unaware that they're afflicted. At the current rate, half of the adult U.S. population will develop prediabetes or diabetes by 2020. Of that total, the more-preventable type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 to 95 percent of alcases.
The good news: If you've received test results showing you have prediabetes, or you're concerned that you're at risk for diabetes, making lifestyle changes now can prevent or greatly delay the onset of diabetes. Studies have shown that such changes reduced the development of type 2 diabetes by as much as 71 percent in adults 60 years and older.