Beacon Teams up to Tackle Diabetes
The YMCA of Michiana is on the forefront of promoting wellness and preventing diabetes – and Beacon Health System plans to help in this effort. The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, supported by funding from Beacon Health System, provides local residents with an opportunity to decrease their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The program helps adults at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles by eating healthier, increasing physical activity and losing a modest amount of weight. By integrating such healthy habits, it’s the goal that it will reduce their chances of developing the disease.
Research by the National Institutes of Health has shown that programs like the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program can decrease the number of new cases of type 2 diabetes by 51 percent to 81 percent, depending on the age of the participant.
About the Program
In a classroom setting, a trained lifestyle coach will facilitate discussions focused around healthier eating, physical activity and other behavior changes. This will be done over one year beginning with 16 weekly one-hour sessions followed by three bi-weekly sessions and six monthly sessions for added support to help them maintain their progress.
Program Goals:
- Reduce body weight by 7 percent
- Increase physical activity to 150 minutes per week
Who can Participate?
Participants must be at least 18 years old, overweight (BMI > 25) and at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes indicated by a confirmatory blood value, a clinical diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes (GDM) during previous pregnancy or a qualifying risk score.
How it Works
Participants will receive a notebook containing worksheets and handouts to use in each of the sessions. They will also use a weekly journal to track their food and physical activity. The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program curriculum is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-approved curriculum in CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Recognition Program.
For more information contact Natalie Tavernier at the Michiana Family YMCA at 574.287.9622.
