Living on the Edge of Diabetes: How to Integrate the Diabetes Prevention Program into a Community Setting
Year: 2009
Type: article
Abstract: adults above the age of 20 have impaired fasting glucose.1 This condition, which is a pre-cursor to diabetes, is diagnosed by a fasting plasma glucose level of 100–125 mg/dl.2 The cardiometabolic risk factors for diabetes include dys-lipidemia, hypertension, smoking, being overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2), hypertryglyceridemia, and inactiv-ity.3 Other risk factors are a large waist circumference (women> 35 inches; men> 40 inches), a history of gestational diabetes, and a family history of diabetes. The percentage of Americans who are overweight or obese is 66.3%.4 The increasing number of pre-diabetes diagnoses and rates of overweight and obesity are staggering, causing many health professionals to feel overwhelmed. The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) was a landmark study that demonstrated a reduction or delay in the diagnoses of type 2 diabetes in high-risk individuals, which was achieved through lifestyle interven-tion with a weight loss of 7 % of initial body weight combined with an exercise program of at least 150 minutes per week.5 Participants in this study were assisted by a lifestyle coach who provided motivation and support. The purpose of this article is to describe a program created to integrate materials from the DPP into a year-long education course for self-paying individuals. The intent of the course was to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes in a high-risk population in a rural and economically challenged community while keeping the course cost-effective.
Source: Diabetes Spectrum
Author: Jennifer Janetski
Language: English
Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2020317891