Don’tLetDiabetesInto YourLife

bythe Washington CountyHealth Department

It’sahauntingstatistic –Oneoutof everythree adultsin the U.S. has prediabetes.According to the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention(CDC), only10 percentofthosewhohaveit evenknow it! One reasonmay bethat manydon’tunderstand the term“prediabetes”– thatit exists or whatit means.

With more than 37 million Americans living with diabetes, mostofus know someonewhoseA1C,glucose and sugar testsallreveal high numbers. Prediabetes describes thosewhohavenumbers abovenormal, butnot quite high enough tobediagnosedwithdiabetes –yet. That’sthe keyword –yet.

Studiesshow thatwithhealthy lifestylechanges in foodchoices and portionsandphysicalactivitycanstop a person’sprogresstowardtype 2diabetes.The bestplaceto startisfind out if youareatriskwitha simplequiz (Visithttps://healthywashingtoncounty.com/prediabetesrisk-test/totakethe actualquiz online):

1 Haveyoubeendiagnosed with diabetes orprediabetes?

2 What isyourage?

3 Manorwoman?If youareawoman,have you everbeen diagnosedwithgestationaldiabetes (aconditioninwhich yourbloodsugarlevels become highduringpregnancy.)?

4 Do you have immediatefamily memberswith diabetes?

5 Haveyou everbeendiagnosedwith high bloodpressure?

6 Areyouphysically active?

Youarethenaskedtocalculate your body massindex (BMI) –ameasureof bodyfatbased onheight and weight. Fromthere,theprediabetesrisktestwillassign you a scorewhichwillsuggestpossible next stepsdepending onthe tally. If you areatan increasedriskforprediabetes and/or diabetes, aprogram likethe NationalDiabetes PreventionProgram(DPP)is a great investment.

The program isevidencebasedandfocuses on sustainablelifestyle changes. Participantshavecut their risk ofdeveloping type 2 diabetesas much as half, astheyworkwith alifestyle coachin agroup setting. The entireprogramlastsone year,which includes 16 core sessions(usually 1perweek/1 hourpersession),followedby monthlypost-coresessions

New sessions begin throughout theyearandareofferedin-person,virtually (throughZoom)andonline.Thereis no costtoparticipate. Your investment is your time andyour willingness tomake changes foryourbetter health.

If you areatleast 18years oldand areatrisk for developing type 2diabetes,findcurrent, available sessions online here –https://healthywashingtoncounty.com/nationaldiabetes-prevention-program/. To register,contactAshley SandersatAshley.Sanders@meritushealth.comor 301-790-8675 today

Remember sionalssaythat changes –losing percent ofyour –shouldbey reducethe risk oping type 2d

Jumpstar program withresource likethose foundhere: https://health washingtoncou health-resources/ diabetes