Jamaica Hospital Medical Center now offers a free, innovative approach to treat patients at risk of developing diabetes. The hospital’s Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) was created by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and is aimed at managing the health of individuals with prediabetes, or borderline diabetes.
There are over 79 million for people with prediabetes in the United States, a condition where a person has glucose levels that are higher than normal, but not high enough to indicate diabetes. When individuals with prediabetes do not manage their condition, they are at a high risk of developing type II diabetes, a condition that is largely preventable.
By adopting this nationally recognized prevention program, Jamaica Hospital plans to reduce the diabetic population in South East Queens. The goal the DPP is to help individuals reduce their weight through a healthy, low-calorie, low-fat diet and engage in at least 150 minutes of moderately physical activity every week.
Participants meet in a group setting on a weekly basis for 16 weeks. The weekly meetings are facilitated “Lifestyle Coaches”, specially trained and certified Jamaica Hospital Patient Navigators with strong interpersonal and group facilitation skills. The Lifestyle Coaches review and provide feedback to each participant on a weekly basis. Each member of the group is expected to maintain weekly diet and exercise logs and get weighed in at each session. The sessions are completely customizable to the individual needs of the group and are run in English and Spanish.
After the 16 week program is completed, participants continue to be monitored by a monthly maintenance program to provide on-going support and motivation to continue a healthy lifestyle.
The results of the Diabetes Prevention Program have been overwhelming positive. Half of the over 3,000 participants in the national CDC program have seen a 7% weight loss through lifestyle intervention and 58% of the participants reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 71%. One of the reasons that the program is so successful is the group dynamic of the program. Through engaging and sharing experiences with others with the same condition, participants in the DPP learn to support each other and provide the necessary encouragement for success.
The DPP is open to all who meet the basic medical criteria. For more information about eligibility or to sign up for the Diabetes Prevention Program, please call 718-206-7088.
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.