National Diabetes Prevention Program 

Milton, FL - Some Santa Rosa County residents are preventing type 2 diabetes with lifestyle change intervention offered by the National Diabetes Prevention Program.   Guided by a trained lifestyle coach, participants are learning the skills they need to make lasting changes, such as losing a modest amount of weight, being more physically active and managing stress.

People with prediabetes — higher-than-normal blood glucose (sugar) levels — are 5 to 15 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with normal blood glucose levels. In fact, many people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within 3 years if they do not take steps to prevent it.

“One in three American adults has prediabetes, so the need for prevention has never been greater,” said Sandra L. Park-O’Hara, A.R.N.P., administrator of the Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County.  “The National Diabetes Prevention program offers a proven approach to preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes through modest lifestyle changes made with the support of a coach and one’s peers.”

Participants learn how to eat healthy, add physical activity to their routine, manage stress, stay motivated, and solve problems that can get in the way of healthy changes. Classes meet once a week at the health department for 16 weeks, then once a month for 6 months to maintain healthy lifestyle changes. The program’s group setting provides a supportive environment with people who are facing similar challenges and trying to make the same changes. Together participants celebrate their successes and find ways to overcome obstacles.

The program offered by the Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa (DOH-Santa Rosa)  is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Classes meet at the health department’s Milton location at 5527 Stewart Street.  Daytime and evening classes are available.  The evening class begins Monday, March 3 at 5:00 p.m.  Daytime class will begin on Tuesday, March 3 at Noon.  Participants pay a fee of $15.00 to cover the cost of lab work and class materials. 

“We had 22 participants complete the first class,” said Barb McMillion, RN, nursing director with the Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County, “and we already have 13 registered for the Monday evening class and 10 for the Tuesday class.  There are still seats available in both classes.” 

The program is based on research that showed that people with prediabetes who lost 5 to 7 percent of their body weight (10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person) by making modest changes reduced their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent.

Nationwide implementation of the program could save the U.S. health care system $5.7 billion and prevent about 885,000 future cases of type 2 diabetes, a serious condition that can lead to health problems including heart attack; stroke; blindness; kidney failure; or loss of toes, feet, or legs.

“Small changes can add up to a big difference,” McMillion added.   “Working with a trained lifestyle coach who provides guidance, participants make lasting changes together.”

People are more likely to have prediabetes and type 2 diabetes if they:

• Are 45 years of age or older;
• Are overweight;
• Have a family history of type 2 diabetes;
• Are physically active fewer than three times per week;
• Were diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy; or
• Gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds.

For more information on the Diabetes Prevention Program, visit  https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/home/index.html.  To register for a class offered by the Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County, contact Susan Howell at 850-983-5200, ext. 154.

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The DOH-Santa Rosa Diabetes Prevention Program is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is proven to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Research shows that modest behavior changes, such as making better food choices and increasing physical activity, reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent in people at high-risk for developing this disease. The National Diabetes Prevention Program brings together federal agencies, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, employers, insurers, health care professionals, academia, and other stakeholders to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes among people with prediabetes. www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention.