Type 2 diabetes is on the rise among American teens, with nearly 1 in 3 showing prediabetic signs. However, early lifestyle interventions offer hope for prevention and delay, empowering young people to take charge of their health.

By Kerrington Dean

Diabetes is everywhere. Maybe not in every household, but in our neighborhoods, our schools and even our generation. It might not seem like a big deal until it gets close to home. And when it does, you start to realize how easy it is to ignore the signs and how hard it is to break the cycle.

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common chronic illnesses in the U.S., and it affects Black and brown communities at higher rates. Even if it’s not a major issue in every family, it’s something many teens start to think about as they learn more about health, food and their futures.

Type 2 diabetes (also known as T2D) in children and teens used to be rare, but not anymore. Today, the condition has become so common that researchers now describe it as a “global problem.” According to a 2023 study published by the National Institutes of Health, rising obesity and lack of access to healthy foods play a major role in the spike. Long-term studies show that Type 2 diabetes is especially growing in Black, hispanic and indigenous communities.

“When I first started my career, I mostly saw Type 1 diabetes in children. Now, Type 2 is just as common, if not more,” says Dr. Christian Nageotte, a pediatric doctor who works with Metro Detroit teens diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. “We’re seeing kids as young as 11 or 12 already showing signs of prediabetes. It’s serious.”

A recent federal estimate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that nearly 1 in 3 American teens between the ages of 12 and 17 had prediabetes in 2023. That’s way higher than before only a few years ago when the estimate was closer to 1 in 5 kids. Prediabetes means a person’s blood sugar levels are high, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed with diabetes. It’s a warning sign that the real disease could be next.

“This isn’t just about what people eat,” Nageotte says. “It’s about food deserts, it’s about stress, it’s about generations of families not having the education or resources to manage their health. We need to teach young people early that this isn’t their fault, but it is their fight.”

But it’s not all bad news. Research shows that Type 2 diabetes can be delayed or even prevented with early lifestyle changes. This includes moving more, eating less added sugar and getting regular checkups. Even small steps make a difference.

The good news is, teens are listening. Schools across Detroit are starting health programs that focus on food education and daily activity. Some teens are even getting involved in peer-led initiatives to help others understand the risks.

For 16-year-old Clarksyn Alexis, diabetes isn’t just a diagnosis, it’s something she lives with every single day. She was just 14 when she found out she had Type 2 diabetes, and she remembers exactly how it started.

“I was always tired, like exhausted even after sleeping,” she says. “My mouth stayed dry, I was peeing a lot and I started losing weight fast even though I wasn’t trying. I thought it was just school stress or something. But my mom said something felt off, so she took me to the doctor. That’s when they did some blood work and told me I had diabetes.”

At first, Clarksyn didn’t know how to react. She didn’t even know teens could get Type 2 diabetes.

“I thought only older people got it,” she says. “I remember sitting in the car after the appointment just staring at nothing. Like — why me?”

Living on the west side of Detroit, Clarksyn says access to healthy food had always been a challenge. “There’s fast food everywhere, corner stores on every block, but barely any grocery stores with fresh stuff,” she explains. “And when you’re used to eating a certain way your whole life, it’s hard to change that overnight.”

Clarksyn says the first few months were the hardest.

“I was so embarrassed. I didn’t want to check my blood sugar in front of people, and I hated when teachers asked why I wasn’t eating snacks like everyone else,” she says. “There were days I’d go the whole school day without checking my levels because I didn’t want attention.”

Even her relationship with food changed. “I used to just eat whatever without thinking, but now everything feels like a math problem: counting carbs, checking sugar, checking labels. It made me angry for a while.”

But with time, education and support from her mom and her doctor, Clarksyn started to take back control.

“I learned that managing it doesn’t mean I’m broken or weak,” she says. “Now I play volleyball again, I meal prep sometimes with my mom and I’ve even started helping other kids who are going through the same thing.”

Clarksyn now volunteers with a local youth health advocacy group where she helps lead workshops at rec centers and schools. She speaks openly about her journey and what it’s like being a teen with diabetes, and how it feels to not always have access to what you need.

“One thing I always tell people is: It’s not your fault,” she says. “It’s easy to blame yourself or your family, but a lot of this comes from bigger systems like not having good food options, or not being taught how to take care of your body early on.”

Still, Clarksyn says she believes her story can inspire change and not just in other teens, but in how communities support them.

“We need more people who look like us talking about this. More teachers, doctors, coaches, somebody saying, ‘Hey, you’re not alone, and you can handle this.’ Because you can. It’s hard, but it’s not impossible.”

When asked what she’d say to a teen who just got diagnosed, Clarksyn paused before answering:

“I’d say … give yourself grace. You’re not gonna get it perfect every day. But you’re still worthy. You’re still strong. This doesn’t define you, it just makes you more powerful if you let it.”

Type 2 diabetes is no longer solely a problem for adults; it's manifesting in younger bodies, younger lives and during childhood, which ought to be centered on happiness rather than medical visits. However, awareness increases along with the rates.

Teens like Clarksyn serve as evidence that managing diabetes and leading a full, meaningful life is achievable with the correct help, knowledge and willpower.

According to Nageotte, this younger generation has the ability to change the course of history.

"This is a pivotal moment," he says. "We can finally move the numbers in the right direction if we educate teens at an early age and provide them with the means to fight back through food, movement and community."

However, it goes beyond personal preferences. The goal is to ensure that all youth, irrespective of their geographic location, have access to the resources they require to maintain their health. Better school lunches, safe spaces for physical activity, more open discussions about health and fewer hidden agendas about our families' and our bodies' true conditions are all part of that.

Because no one benefits from silence when it comes to diabetes. The next generation may be saved by community, action and knowledge.

And teens could be the ones to permanently end the cycle.

This piece is part of the Detroit Journalism Summer Camp, run by The Detroit Writing Room in partnership with Planet Detroit and Coaching Detroit Forward.