Diabetes Prevention: There’s a Program for That

If you’ve struggled to lose weight and develop a lifestyle that will help prevent type 2 diabetes, you may just need a little more education and support. One resource that may help is the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP).

About the DPP

The DPP was developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The program includes six months of weekly sessions with a lifestyle coach, followed by monthly sessions. The goal is to attend at least 22 sessions throughout the year.

DPP classes are usually held in hospitals, clinics, schools, or other public areas. The DPP covers stress reduction, dietary coaching, and strategies to increase moderate physical activity during a one-year period.

A specially trained lifestyle coach leads each program. The coach will help you set individualized weight-loss and exercise goals and provide educational materials, motivation, and support to help you reach those goals. 

Positive Results

An analysis of the first four years of the DPP, published in the April 2017 issue of the journal Diabetes Care, is encouraging. It suggests that a formal program of lifestyle coaching can help people reach weight-loss goals and boost physical activity levels, which can cut your diabetes risk by more than half.

Researchers examined the results of the more than 14,000 women and men who participated in DPPs between 2012 and 2016. Participants averaged 14 sessions during their year in the program. More than one-third of them achieved their goal of losing at least 5 percent of their body weight. The average weight loss was 4.2 percent of body weight. Also, more than 41 percent of the participants reached their goal of 150 minutes of exercise each week.

Who Needs the DPP?

The DPP was developed for people at risk for type 2 diabetes or who have been diagnosed with prediabetes, defined as a fasting blood glucose (sugar) level between 100 and 125 mg/dL. (A normal blood glucose level is below 100 mg/dL.)

Having a fasting blood glucose level of at least 126 mg/dL on two different occasions calls for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes; it can also be diagnosed with a hemoglobin A1c test result of 6.5 percent or higher.

Your chances of developing type 2 diabetes are higher if you are overweight or obese, sedentary most of the time, have a family history of diabetes, or you had gestational diabetes while pregnant. Your odds of developing type 2 diabetes also increase as you get older.

Preventing type 2 diabetes can help you avoid the many possible complications of the disease, such as cardiovascular disease that may cause a heart attack or stroke, nerve damage in your limbs, and damage to your vision and kidney function.

Diabetes Warning Signs

An estimated 86 million people in the U.S. have prediabetes, and 29 million people have diabetes. However, many aren’t aware of their condition, according to the CDC. That’s because symptoms of high blood glucose aren’t always obvious.

Possible symptoms of high blood glucose include:

• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Unexplained weight loss and hunger
• Fatigue
• Sores that take longer to heal
• Frequent infections of the mouth, skin, or vagina

Fight Back

If you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes, weight loss (if you are overweight or obese) and regular exercise, teamed with a healthier diet that includes fewer carbohydrates, will significantly reduce your risk of diabetes: Losing 5 to 7 percent of your body weight and exercising every day can cut your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent.

To find a DPP in your area or to learn more about the DPP, check out www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention. Online, teleconferencing, and Skype options have been added to increase access to the DPP.

There are also many non-profit groups and doctors’ offices that offer diabetes support groups and classroom-style instruction. Taking advantage of them may help you take control of your health, as well as provide the opportunity to meet others facing similar challenges who can offer their own tips for diabetes management. 

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