There are approximately 19 million people in the United States who have been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, of which 90% to 95% is type 2. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes varies among racial and ethnic populations and has been shown to correlate with age, obesity, family history, history of gestational diabetes, and physical inactivity. Over the next decade, a marked increase in the number of adults with diabetes mellitus is expected, placing an ever-increasing burden on families and the health care system.