JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Tuesday is diabetes Alert Day, a national health observance focused on encouraging Americans to adopt lifestyle changes to avoid chronic disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is highlighting a national prevention program that helps participants reduce their risk of developing Type two diabetes by more than 50%.
The CDC’s diabetes Prevention Program is a year-long initiative that teaches patients with prediabetes how to eat healthier, increase physical activity and manage stress. The program aims to intervene before patients develop full-blown Type two diabetes, a condition that the American diabetes Association describes as the fastest-growing chronic disease in the country.
Adults diagnosed with prediabetes can find a list of local enrollment locations HERE for participation in the year-long program open to all adults who meet the medical criteria for prediabetes.
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Chuck Anderson, a representative for the American diabetes Association, emphasized the urgency of the health crisis as his organization partners with federal prevention efforts. “diabetes is the fastest-growing chronic disease in the United States,” Anderson said. “This is one of the most consequential things I would say in our lifetime.” Currently, 115.2 million Americans are living with prediabetes, which also increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Dr. Hanaa Sallam, who works with the diabetes Prevention Program at the University of Texas Medical Branch, said that even modest weight loss can significantly alter a patient’s health trajectory. “Over time they can lose a little bit of weight,” Sallam said. “It’s not much... four to 7%, but it’s enough to cut down the risk by half and more than half... by 71% for people 60 and older.” Sallam noted that dietary changes should focus on filling half of a plate with non-starchy vegetables.
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For 76-year-old patient Linda Lacey, the motivation to join the program was family-oriented. “I’m always trying to find ways to improve my health and stay healthy so I can play with my grandbabies,” Lacey said. Since enrolling, she has seen better control of her blood sugar levels. She noted the program corrected her misconceptions about certain foods, such as the sugar content in fruit. “Not all fruit is healthy,” Lacey said. “Grapes have 17 grams of sugar. I had to switch from grapes to eating pears, bananas, apples, all your different berries.”
The program also changes how patients approach physical activity, moving away from a single daily workout toward consistent movement. Lacey said she previously exercised for one hour a day but now focuses on being mobile throughout her waking hours. “What this program taught me about was being mobile all day long,” Lacey said. “So every hour you need to get up and move five to 7 minutes.” Sallam added that anyone can improve their activity levels starting with a simple walk, regardless of their current physical limits.
The diabetes Prevention Program is available to all prediabetic adults at more than 2,300 locations across the United States. While the initiative frequently serves older adults, the curriculum is designed to help any adult with prediabetes make lasting lifestyle changes. Local program sites are available throughout Northeast Florida and Southeast Ga.
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