Rural Health Council and Office for the Aging partner in initiative
One in three American adults have prediabetes. Prediabetes means that your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not quite high enough to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes can increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart disease. The good news, prediabetes can often be delayed or prevented by making positive lifestyle changes and joining a Prevent T2 Lifestyle Change Program, part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This CDC-recognized lifestyle change program is a research-based program focusing on healthy eating and physical activity that has shown people with prediabetes who take part in a structured lifestyle change program and lose 5 to 7 percent body weight and increase their physical activity to 150 minutes/week can cut their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 58 percent (71 percent for people over 60 years old).
Participants in this program get a full year of support from a trained Lifestyle Coach and learn how to eat healthier, add physical activity into their routine, manage stress, stay motivated, and solve problems that can get in the way of meeting their goals. The program’s group setting provides a supportive environment with people who are facing similar challenges and trying to make the same changes. Together participants celebrate their successes and find ways to overcome obstacles.
Two Prevent T2 Lifestyle Change programs are scheduled to start Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021:
- An in-person class will be held at the Madison County Office for Aging office building at 138 Dominic Bruno Blvd. Canastota, from 11 to noon.
- A virtual class will be held on Zoom from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Both groups meet for one year; weekly for the first 16 sessions, then once or twice a month for the remainder of the year to help maintain healthy lifestyle changes.
If you have been diagnosed by your healthcare provider with prediabetes, sign up today. If you are unsure if you have prediabetes, take a quick Prediabetes Risk Test at doihaveprediabetes.org/ to determine if you are at risk for Type 2 diabetes.
To join one of the free upcoming Prevent T2 Lifestyle Change Programs or for any questions about the program, contact Program Coordinator Stephanie Henry at (315) 313-4399 or henry.s@mcruralhealthcouncil.org. Registration can also be done by visiting mcruralhealthcouncil.org. Click on “Contact Us” to complete the registration form.