The California Department of Public Health estimates that a decade ago, one in ten Californians had diabetes.

Now that number is more like one in eight. Dr. Caroline Peck leads chronic disease control with the Department.

PECK: "A child born in the year 2000 has a one in three chance of developing diabetes in their lifetime. And a one in two chance if they're African American or Latino."

Peck says the holidays are a time when people at risk for diabetes really need to pay attention to how they eat.

She says years ago, diabetes was thought of as a genetic disease.

Now it's an epidemic tied to behavior and environment.

PECK: "We work at a desk for the most part now, we work long hours, so there's not as much opportunity for exercising."

Peck says lack of access to healthy food in some communities also plays a role in the epidemic.