By Kate Hill

Staff Writer

Starting Sept. 3, the Madison County Rural Health Council (MCRHC) will partner with the Cazenovia Public Library to present the Prevent T2 Lifestyle Change Program — an initiative designed to help individuals with prediabetes make lasting lifestyle changes to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 84 million American adults — more than one out of three — have prediabetes.

Individuals with prediabetes have higher than normal blood glucose levels and are 5 to 15 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes — a serious disease that can cause significant health problems, including heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and loss of toes, feet or legs.

The Prevent T2 Lifestyle Change Program is based on research showing that individuals with prediabetes who lost 5 to 7 percent of their body weight through modest lifestyle changes reduced their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent.

“Prevent T2 is a ‘lifestyle change’ program, not a quick fix diet program,” said MCRHC Program Coordinator Stephanie Henry.

“Prediabetes is a serious condition . . .The good news is, it can be reversed by making the modest lifestyle changes outlined in the curriculum. This program provides people with on-going support, accountability and an opportunity to make changes that will positively impact their health for the rest of their lives.”

The yearlong program will be held on Tuesdays from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Library Community Room.

The group will meet once a week for the first four months, then once a month for the last eight months.

Throughout the program, trained lifestyle coaches will help participants gain the skills needed to make lasting changes.

According to Henry, Madison County has five trained coaches, including one previous program participant. The coaches come from various backgrounds, including health education, nursing and public health.

Participants will learn to eat healthy; to add more physical activity into their daily routines; to manage stress; to stay motivated; and to overcome obstacles in the way of their health goals.

The Prevent T2 program started in Madison County in 2015 and in Cazenovia a year later.

According to a report issued by the Madison County Health Department in 2016, the overweight and obesity rate in Madison County adults was 64.3 percent.

“This program is important to Madison County residents because it could have an impact not only on individuals, but on the overall health of our county,” Henry said.

The Madison County Rural Health Council has achieved full recognition status from the CDC.

“[Recognition] acknowledges that we have been effective in the delivery of the program and that participants have been successful in reducing their weights and increasing their physical activity to reduce or prevent type 2 diabetes,” said Henry.

“Many people have been successful in accomplishing their goals in the program.”

Approximately 39 individuals in Cazenovia and 92 individuals in other locations throughout Madison County have completed the program.

Ninety percent of people with prediabetes do not know they have it.

To check your risk, complete the CDC Prediabetes Screening Test at cdc.gov.

The Prevent T2 program is suggested for individuals who have been diagnosed with prediabetes and for those with any of the following risk factors:

45 years of age or older, are overweight (BMI greater than 24 kg/m), physically active less than three times per week, gestational diabetes while pregnant, fasting blood glucose level of 100-125 mg/dl or arent or sibling with type 2 diabetes.

The Prevent T2 Lifestyle Change Program is free. Registration is required. The program is limited to 20 participants.

For more information and to register, call the Madison County Rural Health Council at 315-454-2108 or email [email protected].