Prevent Type 2 Diabetes by Making Healthy Changes
Motivation begins with a commitment
One in three American adults have prediabetes, and most do not know it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prediabetes is defined as having higher-than-normal blood glucose (or blood sugar) levels.
Without intervention, these individuals are up to 30 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with normal blood glucose levels. Once diagnosed, type 2 diabetes is difficult to manage without insulin. Worse yet, diabetes increases your risk of heart disease and stroke, and often leads to kidney failure, blindness, and loss of a toe, foot, or leg.
However, those with prediabetes can reverse the trend with the free PreventT2 (Prevent Type 2 diabetes) Lifestyle Change Program offered by the McLean County Health Department (MCHD). Guided by a trained lifestyle coach, group participants learn the skills to make lasting changes such as: losing a modest amount of weight; becoming more physically active; making better food and beverage choices; and managing stress.
“Some people need peers who offer encouragement and support. Others need a coach who shows them how to make small changes over a long period of time. This program offers both,” said Kim Anderson, MCHD Director of Maternal Child Health Services. “There is no doubt that this PreventT2 program offers a proven approach to preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes.”
The PreventT2 program is free to adults who qualify for the program. McLean County Health Department is looking for people who will commit to a one-year schedule – meeting weekly for the first six months, then once or twice a month for the second six months. Meetings are held at the McLean County Health Department located at 200 W. Front Street in downtown Bloomington.
To qualify, you MUST meet ALL of the following:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Have a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher (23 or higher if Asian American)
- Not be previously diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes
- Not be pregnant at the time of enrollment
And meet ONE of the following:
- A recent (within the past year) blood test meeting ONE of the following specifications:
- Fasting glucose of 110 to 125 mg/dL
- Plasma glucose measured 2 hours after a 75g glucose load of 140 to 199 mg/dL
- A1C of 5.7 to 6.4
- Clinically diagnosed gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during a previous pregnancy
- A positive screening for prediabetes based on the CDC prediabetes screening test: https://www.cdc.gov/prediabetes/takethetest/
To learn more, individuals can join us for an introductory session (also known as Session Zero).
Choose from one of the two sessions being held at McLean County Health Department:
- Mon, June 12 from 10:00-11:00 at MCHD (200 W. Front St., downtown Bloomington, 3rd floor)
- Or Tues, June 13 from 12:00-1:00 at MCHD (200 W. Front St., downtown Bloomington, 3rd floor)
PreventT2 is part of the CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention Program, which is based on research that showed people with prediabetes who lost 5 to 7 percent of their body weight (10-14 pounds for someone weighing 200 pounds) reduced their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent!
You are more likely to have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes if you: are 45 years of age or older; are overweight; have a family history of type 2 diabetes; are physically active fewer than three times per week; have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy or gave birth to a baby weighing more than nine pounds; or you are African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Pacific Islander, or Asian American.
“If you are looking for the motivation to make permanent changes, this is the place.,” added Ashlyn Hayes, PreventT2 lifestyle coach. “I enjoy watching the friendships that develop among participants as they celebrate small victories such as losing a few pounds, trying healthy cooking methods, and finding new ways to be active.”
To learn more:
Contact Ashlyn Hayes at (309) 888-5548 or [email protected]