Free Diabetes Prevention Program at Springfield Health Center

A year-long YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program is being offered free of charge, begins Tuesday, February 5th.
http://www.springfieldmed.org/SpringfieldMedicalCareSystems/News/tabid/78/id/264/YMCAs-Diabetes-Prevention-Program-Offered-at-Springfield-Health-Center.aspx

YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program Offered at Springfield Health Center Posted on 1/30/2013 SPRINGFIELD, VT – Springfield Health Center is pleased to announce it is partnering with the Vermont Blueprint for Health and the Greater Burlington YMCA to offer the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-led National Diabetes Prevention Program. The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program will be offered, free of charge, to help adults at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes reduce their risk for developing the disease by taking steps that will improve their overall health and well-being. This year-long program will be held at the new Springfield Health Center at 100 River Street in Springfield, VT, beginning Tuesday, February 5th, 2013, from 6:00 – 7:00 pm, and will be facilitated by trained lifestyle coaches, Steve Fortier from Meeting Waters YMCA, and Lara Peck from Springfield Health Center. The goals of the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program are to reduce and maintain individual weight loss by at least 7 percent and to increase physical activity to 150 minutes per week. YMCA of the USA, the national resource office for the nation’s 2,700 YMCAs, is working with CDC and other organizations to expand the program to as many communities as possible as part of CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention Program. “We are pleased to announce the program will be available locally at the Springfield Health Center, 100 River Street, Springfield, VT, beginning Tuesday, February 5th, 2013,” comments Maureen Shattuck, RN, CDE, and SMCS Community Health Team Leader. “Providing support and opportunities that empower people to be healthy and live well is part of the mission of Springfield Medical Care Systems (SMCS). The lifestyle choices learned through the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program not only reduce risk for type 2 diabetes, but also create lifelong changes in the way that individuals approach health and well-being,” comments Shattuck. The Vermont Department of Health estimates 25 – 30 percent of Vermont adults (approximately 130,000 individuals) have prediabetes. Most people with prediabetes are not aware of their condition. If left untreated, 75 percent of those with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within ten years. The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program is based on the landmark Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) research study led by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in collaboration with CDC and others, which showed that programs that help people make lifestyle changes and lose a modest amount of weight can reduce the number of new cases of type 2 diabetes by 58 percent among those with prediabetes. “We now have proof that evidence-based lifestyle interventions delivered through community-based organizations such as the Y can save lives and health care dollars,” said Shattuck. The program provides a supportive environment where participants work together in a small group to learn about healthier eating, and increasing their physical activity in order to reduce their risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The classroom-based sessions are delivered over a 12-month period. Participants meet weekly for 16 weeks. After 16 weeks, participants meet monthly and get support in maintaining their progress. “We can change the course of diabetes in America by preventing the disease in those at highest risk,” says Dr. Ann Albright, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Diabetes Translation. “CDC’s partnership with the Y is improving access to evidence-based programs that we know will help people make healthier lifestyle choices that can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.” The goals of the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program are to reduce and maintain individual weight loss by at least 7 percent and to increase physical activity to 150 minutes per week. “The partnership between the YMCA and the CDC stands to reduce the burden of diabetes, one of the nation’s costliest diseases, in Springfield and across the nation,” says Shattuck. “With CDCs recent prediction of an increase in diabetes rates, it’s of the utmost importance that we do all we can to help the 79 million people in the United States who have prediabetes prevent the onset of the disease to live healthy, happy and more productive lives.” For more information, or to register, please contact Michelle Kuusela at 802-885-7346 or email CHT@springfieldmed.org. ### Springfield Health Center is a service of Springfield Medical Care Systems (SMCS), a not-for-profit, community-based health care system that includes seven community health center locations. SMCS provides an integrated system of care that is patient-centered and emphasizes quality, access, and affordability for all, with financial assistance available based on a sliding fee scale. Services include primary and preventive health care for people of all ages, pediatrics, diagnostic lab and radiology services, a broad array of acute hospital and specialty services, health screenings, mental health programs, dental care, and access to discounted pharmaceuticals. For more information about SMCS and its subsidiaries, please visit www.springfieldmed.org.