What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Diabetes Statistics Report (2020), over 34 million Americans have diabetes; 88 million American adults—approximately 1 in 3—have prediabetes, and new diabetes cases were higher among non-Hispanic blacks and people of Hispanic origin than non-Hispanic Asians and non-Hispanic whites. National Diabetes Statistics Report.
There are three main types of diabetes, Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational diabetes. In the normal chain of events, most of the food we eat is broken down into sugar or glucose and then released into the bloodstream. This elevated blood sugar signals the pancreas to release insulin and insulin acts as the key to let the blood sugar into your body’s cell to use as energy.
If you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use the insulin it makes as well as it should. When there isn’t enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream. Over time, that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease.
For more information on diabetes visit the CDC website
Are you at risk for Type 2 Diabetes?
1 out of 3 American adults has prediabetes. Of those with prediabetes, 90% don’t know they have it. Prediabetes puts you at increase risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. If you have prediabetes, you can make small changes now to improve your health and prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
About the Prevent T2 Program
- The Prevent T2 Lifestyle Change Program is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- It is proven program that has been shown to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes in high-risk patients
- Research examining the effects of a structured lifestyle change program showed that weight loss of 5% to 7% of body weight achieved by reducing calories and increasing physical activity reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58% in people at high-risk of developing the disease.
- To learn more about this research, visit National Diabetes Prevention Program
How Does Prevent T2 Work?
- Prevent T2 empowers patients with prediabetes and those at risk for Type 2 Diabetes to take charge of their health and well being.
- Participants meet in groups with a trained Lifestyle Coach to learn ways to incorporate healthier eating and moderate physical activity, as well as problem-solving, stress-reduction, and coping skills, into their daily lives.
- Groups meet for a year.
- Weekly for the first 6 months then twice a month for the second 6 months to maintain the skills they have learned.
- A physician referral is not required.
Which Patients are Eligible for Prevent T2?
- To participate, patients must:
- Be at least 18 years old;
- Be overweight (BMI >/= 24; >/= 22 if Asian); Adult BMI Calculator
- Have no previous diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes; or type 2 diabetes;
- Have established risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes; or
- Have been diagnosed with prediabetes within the past year or previously diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
- *No Cost to Participants
- *All Classes are Virtual via Zoom