American Diabetes Association, AMA, CDC, and Ad Council Partner to Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Incidence in National Public Health Initiative

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Medical Association, American Diabetes Association and the Ad Council have joined forces to launch a national awareness campaign targeting prediabetes, a condition affecting more than one in three American adults that often goes undetected but can lead to serious health complications if left unaddressed.

The “Do I Have Prediabetes?” campaign, first launched in 2016, aims to increase public awareness that prediabetes is a reversible condition through lifestyle changes such as improved diet, increased physical activity and weight management. Research shows that once individuals learn they have prediabetes, they are more likely to make the sustained behavioral changes needed to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Prediabetes is a serious health condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes and other long-term health risks, like heart attack and stroke. But prediabetes can also be prevented or reversed with early action.

CDC

According to CDC data referenced in the campaign materials, nearly 98 million American adults—approximately one in three—have prediabetes. Of those individuals, an estimated 81% are unaware they have the condition, highlighting a critical gap in public knowledge that the initiative seeks to address through accessible screening tools.

More than 2 in 5 American adults have prediabetes, putting them at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart attack, or stroke. Of people with prediabetes, 80 percent don’t know they have it.

Ad Council

The campaign centers around a free, one-minute online risk test available at DoIHavePrediabetes.org (and PodriaTenerPrediabetes.org in Spanish), which helps individuals assess their likelihood of having prediabetes. Those identified as high-risk are encouraged to consult a healthcare provider and enroll in evidence-based lifestyle change programs, such as the National Diabetes Prevention Program, which has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing diabetes incidence through structured support for healthy eating, physical activity and weight loss.

The good news is prediabetes can often be reversed. CDC has partnered with the Ad Council to launch a new suite of public service announcements as part of their “Do I Have Prediabetes?” awareness campaign.

CDC

Public service announcements from the campaign have been distributed across television, radio, social media, billboards and print publications, with messaging specifically designed to reach adults aged 40 to 65, particularly in communities disproportionately affected by diabetes, including Black, Hispanic or Latino and male populations. The campaign materials emphasize that taking the risk test is a simple first step toward understanding one’s health status and accessing proven prevention strategies.

The goal was to increase awareness and educate people that prediabetes can be reversed. Public service announcements were promoted on TV, radio, and social media platforms, as well as through printed ads on billboards and in newspapers and magazines.

CDC

Officials note that the initiative remains ongoing due to the persistent public health challenge posed by undiagnosed prediabetes. By promoting early detection and timely intervention, the collaborating organizations aim to reduce the future burden of type 2 diabetes and its associated complications, including cardiovascular disease, kidney failure and vision loss, which contribute significantly to healthcare costs and reduced quality of life nationwide.

Type 2 diabetes is one of the chronic health conditions that poses a significant risk for complications to those who contract COVID-19.

CDC

The campaign represents one of the first coordinated national efforts to address prediabetes at a population level, combining the expertise of federal health agencies, medical professional associations and nonprofit advocacy groups with the communications reach of the Ad Council. Through sustained outreach and accessible tools, the initiative seeks to empower individuals with the knowledge and resources necessary to take proactive steps toward long-term metabolic health.