Lose Weight, Eat Healthy and Stay Motivated with CDC-Grant-Funded PreventT2

Sarasota Memorial Hospital 1700 S Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34239

One out of every three American adults has prediabetes, and most of them don't even know it. If you are age 45 or older, are overweight, and have a family history of Type 2 diabetes, or had diabetes while you were pregnant, then you have a higher risk of developing prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

  People with prediabetes have a blood-sugar level that is above normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Without a lifestyle change, prediabetes can develop into Type 2 diabetes, a serious condition that can lead to a heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure or the loss of toes, feet, or legs. Sarasota Memorial's Diabetes Treatment Services has set its sights on helping those at risk of developing prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes, and is launching a new, interactive program to arm them with the tools and support they need to make lasting lifestyle changes.

 Thanks to a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Sarasota Memorial will be offering a local PreventT2 diabetes education and support course, which is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program. The PreventT2 program is proven to help people with prediabetes prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes.

 Facilitated by an SMH registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, the 10-month-long PreventT2 program will teach participants how to lose weight, eat healthy, be more active, manage stress, stay motivated and overcome the obstacles that can get in the way of healthy lifestyle changes. The small group setting offers a supportive environment as participants are sharing similar experiences and the same goals.

 PreventT2 participants will meet weekly for four months of interactive learning, followed by six months of monthly support meetings to help them stay on track with fitness, healthy eating and weight loss.

 Is the PreventT2 Program for You?

Carried out in partnership with the CDC, Sarasota Memorial's PreventT2 program is designed for a very specific participant audience. To take part, you must:

·         Be 18 years old or older AND

·         Be overweight (BMI of 24 or higher/ BMI of 22 if of Asian descent) AND

·         Have no previous diagnosis of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes AND

·         Have a blood test result in the prediabetes range within the last year: Hemoglobin A1C of 5.7-6.4%; fasting plasma glucose of 100-125 mg/dl; or a two-hour plasma glucose of 140-199 mg/dl, after a 75 gm glucose load.

·         Have a signed physician referral form; SMH Diabetes Treatment Services can help you attain one of these.

·         Women previously diagnosed with gestational diabetes also qualify for the program.