Prediabetes is a growing problem in the United States. In South Carolina alone, 31.2 percent of adults have prediabetes. Having prediabetes, or blood sugar levels higher than normal, can put you at an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Other risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes include:
- Being overweight or obese
- Living a sedentary lifestyle
- Having a family history of diabetes
- A diagnosis of gestational diabetes during a past pregnancy
- 45 years of age or older
- Being African American, Hispanic, Native American, or Asian American
Salad with strawberries.
Rural Health Team, Clemson University
Although we cannot control certain risk factors such as family history, race, or age, there are some things like weight and activity that can be controlled.
Did you know that making healthy lifestyle changes and losing 5-7% of your weight can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent?
The Diabetes Prevention Program seeks to help you make healthy lifestyle changes and lose 5-7 percent of your starting weight to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Throughout this program, you will learn about healthy eating, physical activity, stress management, coping with negative thoughts, and how to get support while making healthy lifestyle changes. Not only will you get educational content, but you will also get a chance to navigate challenges to implement these changes in your life. For each of the 27 sessions, you will meet with a Health Extension Agent and other members of your group to learn about the week’s topic and get support.
To participate, you must be at least 18 years old and have never been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Join the program today to learn more about healthy lifestyle changes to help lower your risk for type 2 diabetes! Sign up for free here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/diabetes-prevention-program-online-tickets-109222158416.
Check out some of our other programs to learn more about making healthy, sustainable lifestyle changes:
- WalkSC: https://hgic.clemson.edu/walksc/
- Know Diabetes By Heart: https://hgic.clemson.edu/know-diabetes-by-heart-kdbh/
- Health Extension for Diabetes: https://hgic.clemson.edu/health-extension-for-diabetes/
- Hypertension Management Program: https://hgic.clemson.edu/hypertension-management-program-hmp/
Review these resources for more information on diabetes and prediabetes:
- Diabetes: https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/diabetes/
- Prediabetes: https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/prediabetes/
Sources
- “About Prediabetes & Type 2 Diabetes.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 April 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/about-prediabetes.html.
- American Diabetes Association (ADA) (n.d.). The Burden of Diabetes in South Carolina. Retrieved from http://main.diabetes.org/dorg/PDFs/Advocacy/burden-of-diabetes/south-carolina.pdf. 27 July 2019.
- Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) Research Group. “The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP): description of lifestyle intervention.” Diabetes care vol. 25,12 (2002): 2165-71. doi:10.2337/diacare.25.12.2165
- Prevent T2: A Proven Program to Prevent or Delay Type 2 Diabetes. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016.
