Unrealistic Optimism, Sex, and Risk Perception of Type 2 Diabetes Onset: Implications for Education Programs

Reyes-Velázquez, Wanda; Sealey-Potts, Claudia

Young adults tend to gain weight when they attend college (7) (8) (9) , and physical activity tends to decline in this population. A survey of 400 college students revealed that 46.7% of the sample did not engage in vigorous physical activity, and 16.7% were physically inactive (10) . Based on research findings linking weight gain and reduced levels of physical activity to increased risk of type 2 diabetes, it is advisable for this population to learn about preventing or delaying the onset of this condition (11) . Type 2 diabetes diagnosed at younger ages could place an additional economic burden on society because of the health complications commonly associated with this disease and associated premature mortality, as well as increased health care costs (12) . Unfortunately, young adults may not be aware of the increased risk for type 2 diabetes that results from their lifestyle (e.g., unhealthy food and beverage choices and reduced levels of physical activity). Therefore, targeted diabetes education programs are needed to give these individuals an opportunity to learn about how they can modify their lifestyle while there is still time to prevent or delay the onset of dia-betes at an early age. However, before attempting to tailor type 2 diabetes awareness programs for this population, it is necessary to identify their perception of their risks for developing diabetes.