Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA Offers Diabetes Prevention Program

Every November is National Diabetes Month, and people from all over the country come together to bring attention to diabetes and the impact it has on Americans. Living with diabetes can be difficult and challenging to manage on a daily basis. According to the American Diabetes Association, in 2015 approximately 30 million Americans were living with this chronic disease. Of the 30 million adults with diabetes, 23 million were diagnosed and 7 million were undiagnosed. Diabetes is currently the 7th leading cause of death. It is important to be aware of the symptoms and how to properly manage diabetes. 

Here locally, the Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA offers a program to help prevent Type 2 diabetes. The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program is a community-based lifestyle improvement program for adults with prediabetes. Its purpose is to empower adults with lasting lifestyle changes to improve their overall health and reduce their chance of developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Participants gather in a relaxed classroom setting and work together in small groups to learn how to incorporate healthier eating and moderate physical activity into their daily lives. Based on research funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, programs like the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program reduce the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes by 58%.

For more information on the Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA’s Diabetes Awareness Month Programs, visit www.peninsulaymca.org/diabetes/ or call 757-223-7925.