You Can Take Control

Grace took control of her health by learning new tools for healthy living and reducing her risk for diabetes through the YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program.

You Can Take Control

Grace took control of her health by learning new tools for healthy living and reducing her risk for diabetes through the YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program.

About the Program

As a leading nonprofit for strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the Y believes that all people should be able to live life to its fullest, healthiest potential. In the YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program a trained lifestyle coach will introduce topics in a small classroom setting and encourage participants as they explore how healthy eating, physical activity and behavior changes can benefit their health.

How it works:

  • The 12-month group-based program consists of 16 core sessions, followed by monthly maintenance sessions led by a trained lifestyle coach who facilitates a small group of people with similar goals.
  • Discuss topics such as healthy eating, increasing physical activity, reducing stress, problem solving, and much more.
  • Stay motivated to maintain progress towards program goals with monthly maintenance sessions.

Program Goals:

  • Lose 7% of your body weight
  • Gradually increase your physical activity to 150 minutes per week.

You will do this by learning strategies for:

Healthy Eating—Eating smaller portions, reducing fat in your diet and discovering healthier food options has been proven to help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes1.

Increasing Physical Activity—Studies have repeatedly shown that moderate physical activity (walking, swimming, mowing the lawn) for as little as 30 minutes, five days a week can help improve your blood pressure, raise your good cholesterol and prevent blood flow problems2.

Losing Weight—It has been shown that reducing your body weight by even a small amount (as little as 7%) can offer tremendous benefits for people at risk for diabetes3.

Based on research funded by the National Institutes of Health, the program has been shown to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 58%. The reduction was even greater, 71%, among adults aged 60 years or older.

1 http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/consumer/eatright.htm
2 http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/consumer/beactive.htm
3 http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/downloads/R2P_life_change.pdf

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Copyright © 2013 YMCA of the USA. All rights reserved.
The YMCA is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.