Of the approximately 19 million people in the United States who have been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, 90% to 95% have type 2 diabetes mellitus. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus varies among racial and ethnic populations and has been shown to increase with age, obesity, family history, history of gestational diabetes, and physical inactivity. Over the next decade, a disproportionate increase in the elderly population will result in a marked increase in diabetic patients, placing an ever-increasing burden on families and the health care system.