Learn how to prevent diabetes with a FREE course at Mather Hospital
Are you at risk for developing type 2 diabetes? Have you been diagnosed with prediabetes? You can prevent diabetes by changing your lifestyle with the help of a year-long course at Mather Hospital.
Mather will host the National Diabetes Prevention Program beginning March 20, from 6-7:15pm. The program is led by a trained lifestyle coach from the Suffolk County Department of Health.
Participants are identified through their health care provider by either their fasting glucose 100-124 or their A1c 5.7-6.4. In addition, they must have a BMI of 25 or more and be over the age of 18. Participants cannot have diabetes or be pregnant. Participants may also qualify by taking either the CDC or ADA risk test.
“We want to help those at risk change their behaviors to get these numbers back into the normal range,” said Senior Public Health Educator Debora Rippel. “ Our goal is to help participants lose 5-7 percent of their body weight and increase their physical activity to 150 minutes per week. In addition, we teach positive behaviors such as weighing and measuring food, reading food labels, choosing low-fat, and using low-calorie options/substitutions. We look at the environmental, psychological, and social aspects of behaviors and help identify ways to change them.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control 96 million Americans – or one in three adults – have prediabetes. Of those, more than eight in 10 are unaware that they have it. Without taking any action, 15-30 percent of people with prediabetes could develop type 2 diabetes within five years. For every 2.2 pounds of weight an individual loses, their risk of developing type 2 diabetes is lowered by 13 percent, according to the national program.
To register, contact Debora Rippel at the Suffolk County Department of Health at 631-853-2928 or Debora.Rippel@suffolkcountyny.gov . More information visit the National Diabetes Prevention Program