Diabetes
Richland Public Health’s Communities Preventing Chronic Disease grant is working on resources for diabetes and programs to prevent diabetes.
What is prediabetes?
Having prediabetes means your blood glucose (sugar) level is higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. But, nearly 90 percent of adults who have prediabetes don’t know they have it.
Are you at risk?
You may have prediabetes and be at risk for type 2 diabetes if you:
- Are 45 years of age or older
- Are overweight
- Have a family history of type 2 diabetes
- Have high blood pressure
- Are physically active fewer than three times per week
- Ever had diabetes while pregnant (gestational diabetes) or gave birth to a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds
Prediabetes can lead to serious health problems
If you have prediabetes and don’t lose weight or increase your physical activity, you could develop type 2 diabetes within five years.
Type 2 diabetes is a serious condition that can lead to health issues such as
- Heart attack, Heart Disease
- Stroke, blindness
- Kidney failure, nerve damage
- loss of toes, feet or legs.
What do I do?
Find out if you could have prediabetes. Take the online risk assessment and find out more about prediabetes
Here’s the good news
There is a proven lifestyle change program that can help you prevent or delay getting type 2 diabetes—the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP). It will help you lower your risk by up to 58% by teaching you how to improve your lifestyle through your food choices and physical activity.
What participants are saying…
“ I love having a lifestyle coach. She has given us great information, helped me stay on track and stay positive!” —Bruce
“ I’m so excited because I went to the doctor last week and all of my numbers were down and I officially no longer have prediabetes.”—Vivien
How does it work?
- Work with a trained DPP lifestyle coach in your community to learn the skills you need to make lasting lifestyle changes.
- Learn to eat
healthy and add physical activity to your life - Manage stress, stay motivated and solve problems that can get in the way of healthy lifestyle changes
Features of the Lifestyle Change program
- Trained coach to guide and encourage you
- In-person
- CDC evidence-based program
- Support from others working on the same goals as you
- Skills to help you lose weight, be more physically active and manage stress
- Some insurance companies will cover
Talk to your
For a program already established in Richland County, call our partners, OhioHealth Mansfield at 419-241-7199, or the Mansfield Area Y at 419-522-3511 (ask for James) to find out how you can enroll.
Questions or Comments
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