JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) continues to offer a no-cost, home-based virtual diabetes prevention program known as #PreventDiabetes to residents at risk of the disease and its effects.
Amber Nolte, chronic disease prevention program manager with WDH, said residents participating in the program, which began last year, have seen successes with “a huge ripple effect in the quality of life for themselves and their families.”
#PreventDiabetes is a year-long, home-based program that helps individuals lose weight and reduce their risk for type 2 diabetes with the support of educational video sessions, app-based coaching, progress tracking with provided smart scale, cash incentives for weight loss, the support of a certified diabetes lifestyle coach and more.
One participant mentioned the program’s meal suggestions, saying “[T]hey worked well for me. The other thing that I love about the program is the weekly weigh-ins. The weigh-ins work well for me by making me more accountable. I also love that a scale is provided with the program.”
Another participant said, “My health is much better since I began the program. My joints do not hurt like they did before and I am eating different.”
Enrollment in #PreventDiabetes is free for any Wyoming resident over the age of 18 who is at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Risk factors include being 45 or older, family history of type 2 diabetes, history of gestational diabetes, being overweight or obese, having high blood pressure or having high cholesterol.
Nolte said one in three American adults has prediabetes, which is when a person’s blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.
“We know prediabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form of diabetes,” Nolte said. “Unfortunately, most people with prediabetes don’t realize it so we want to help them learn if they are at risk and then give them the tools to do something about it.”
Nolte suggested people try a simple online screening test to learn about their personal diabetes risk offered by the CDC online.
Diabetes is currently the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States. Type 2 diabetes can lead to higher risk of serious health problems, including:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Blindness
- Kidney failure
- Loss of toes, feet or legs
WDH has contracted with incentaHEALTH, a Colorado-based digital health company, to offer #PreventDiabetes, which has been recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an evidence-based lifestyle change program.
