The prevalence of diabetes has reached epidemic proportions around the globe affecting approximately 9% of the world population, according to the World Health Organization. Nearly two-thirds of adults in the United States have either diabetes or prediabetes. An estimated 1.5 million deaths annually are attributable to diabetes and the WHO projects that, by 2030, diabetes will be the seventh leading cause of death worldwide. Diabetes disproportionately affects minority populations with increased complication risks among these groups. The rise of diabetes epidemic is clearly associated with and in part attributed to the rapid rise of obesity that not only affects adults but also affects children and adolescents. Lifestyle interventions such as exercise and weight loss have been shown in randomized controlled trials to reduce diabetes among various populations in the prediabetic stage. Despite the evidence of the effectiveness of these interventions, the application of lifestyle changes in the general population and particularly among minority groups remains a challenge.

Individuals with diabetes are also at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and it remains the major cause of morbidity and mortality among diabetic patients. Lifestyle and dietary modifications appear to decrease, not only the occurrence of diabetes among at risk populations, but also CVD risk including hypertension, central obesity, dyslipidemia, increased inflammation, and oxidative stress. Besides education, application of lifestyle changes requires behavioral interventions to ensure self-efficacy and long term maintenance of the health effects of these interventions.

We assembled a group of well-known scholars in the field of diabetology and behavioral interventions to lead this special issue which will include diverse, yet closely related topics that will be an invaluable resource for the busy clinician, the practicing health care provider as well as students and scholars in the field:

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• The global epidemic of obesity and diabetes: implications for the minority populations
• Modifiable risk factors for diabetes mellitus: Effectiveness of lifestyle intervention among the prediabetic populations from various ethnic backgrounds
• Sociodemographic factors and diabetes risk: implications for CVD outcomes
• Low carbohydrate diet as an effective measure for curbing the global epidemic and diabetes and CVD
• The DASH diet in control of hypertension: implications for the diabetic populations
• Behavioral modifications as effective interventions for weight loss and diabetes prevention
• Implications of various weight loss interventions on the incidence of diabetes and CVD disease
• Bariatric surgery as an effective tool for reversal of diabetes: examinations of effectiveness and emotional and social impact
• Assessment of the effects of psychological distress on diabetes
• Smoking and diabetes: evaluation of the impact of the rising e-cigarette use on the risk of diabetes