My son has a friend, D (16 years old), who was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He just started giving himself shots in his stomach several days ago.

We are very concerned for this young boy, who doesn't take his condition serious at all. He can, and sometimes does, drink more than a dozen cans of soda in one day, and eats lots of junk food, fast food, and is not very active at all.

My son visits his friend often and wants to encourage him to change his eating habits and lifestyle, so that he will be able to hopefully get his diabetes under control.

I would like to find information that I can share with the boy, and try to encourage him to take his condition seriously.

Any suggestions and resources would be greatly appreciated!

I encourage you to contact the diabeties association. They will have all the information you need.

It sounds like this boy needs a wake up call. He is like all teens and thinks nothing bad can happen to him because he's young. He needs to know the complications of diabeties and besides diabetic shock there are a lot of serious complications.

He needs to know that diet and exercise can sometimes cut out the needles. It is not just sugar--although there are 16 tablespoon of sugar in a can of pop. It is carbs too.

The best thing your son can do is play sports with this boy or encourage him to get active in some way by doing things with him. Don't even mention diabeties just do fun active things.

Talk to your son too. He needs to know that as much as we try to help others we can only do so much to help. The other person has to take ownership of his own problems. As much as he wants to he can't do it by himself.