University Hospital Diabetes Prevention Program

University Hospital is a national pilot site for a program developed by the YMCA targeting employees at risk for diabetes. It's a sixteen week program with classes to help attendees develop healthier eating habits, walk at least five days a week, participate in water aerobics twice a week and lose weight.

The program could also reduce potential health care costs in the event that someone was going to develop diabetes if there was no lifestyle change. Participants say the class is a permanent lifestyle change and not just a weight-loss program like Weight Watchers.

Attendees learn how to read food labels and are taught how different foods affect their bodies. University Hospital is the first medical facility to implement the YMCA diabetes prevention program, which is important because sometimes health care workers are so focused on patient care, they lose sight of their own health.  

"Sixteen weeks into the program, our group of 12 Hospital employees has lost 58 combined pounds," said Cheryl Scanlon, Employee Wellness Coordinator. "It's a great step in the right direction."
 
Nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes, which is a chronic condition that increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, blindness, amputation of lower limbs and kidney failure, and one in four American adults are believed to have prediabetes. People with high glucose, family history of diabetes, sedentary lifestyle and are overweight could have prediabetes and be at risk to develop diabetes. 

Release Date: 10/23/2009