Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital to Host Diabetes Prevention Program

REED CITY Mich.,  March 20, 2017 – One in three adults has prediabetes, a significant risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. Many adults do not even know they are at risk.

To help community members make lifestyle changes to prevent type 2 diabetes, Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital is hosting the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) beginning May 8 in Reed City. Registration for this free program is required.

The program offers those at high risk for type 2 diabetes an opportunity to learn how to lead a healthier life. Participants will meet from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Mondays for 16 weeks, and monthly for six months following. Participants meet as a group with a trained lifestyle coach and learn how to make important lifestyle changes. The group setting provides a supportive environment for participants to celebrate their successes and overcome obstacles.

 “As the number of Americans with prediabetes grows, we face the certainty of increasing disease, disability and health care expense,” said Layla Noordhof, diabetes educator at Spectrum Health Big Rapids and Reed City Hospitals. “This program offers the skills needed to lose weight, be more active and manage stress—all while being supported by a diabetes educator and other participants.”

People with prediabetes—an elevated blood glucose level not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes—are five to 15 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with normal blood glucose levels. In fact, many will be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within three years. The National DPP is based on a research study led by the National Institutes of Health and supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which showed that participants receiving counseling and motivational support on effective diet, exercise, and behavior modification-reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent.

Risk factors for prediabetes include:

• Being 45 years of age or older
• Being overweight
• Having a family history of type 2 diabetes
• Being physically active fewer than three times per week
• Having been diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy or gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds.

To register for the National DPP, call 231.832.6636.

 

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