Right now, almost 34 million Americans are living with diabetes, and 90% of those have type 2 diabetes. This is a growing epidemic, but health care providers can play a critical role by helping patients manage and reverse type 2 diabetes. While diet changes and medication are typically the first recommendations for managing type 2 diabetes, there’s a more significant treatment increasingly being recommended: bariatric surgery.

What did it take for Pete Ballurio of Rosenhayn to get his diabetes, blood pressure and weight under better control? A knowledgeable and dedicated care team from Inspira Medical Group, some user-friendly health care technology, and a strong desire not to add a third diabetes medication to his daily regimen.

Of the 34 million Americans currently diagnosed with diabetes in the United States, about 90% of these individuals have type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, if we’re not careful as a country, that number could grow—almost 1 in 3 people in the U.S. have prediabetes, a condition that often leads to type 2 diabetes. Here is what you need to know about risk factors for diabetes and ways to prevent it.