YMCA of Rowan County

SALISBURY — The Rowan County YMCA is offering a series of classes to help people avoid developing diabetes.

The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program is led by a trained lifestyle coach in a classroom setting over a one-year period, with 25 one-hour sessions in all. The first 16 sessions meet once a week, sessions 17-19 meet every other week and sessions 20-25 meet once a month.

The Y is enrolling participants for fall classes at all three Rowan County facilities. The Salisbury facility began its sessions Nov 8, at 6 p.m. Thursdays.

Participants do not need to be members of the YMCA of Rowan County to join the class. Nonmember participants receive six-month facility access as part of the program. There is a program fee, but financial assistance is available.

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that more than one in three Americans — 84 million people — have prediabetes. In North Carolina, the CDC estimates that 9.6 percent of the population has diabetes.

“Prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes are preventable conditions, but many people don’t know they are at risk, let alone the steps to take to avoid the disease,” said Jamie Morgan, CEO of the YMCA of Rowan County.

“Fortunately, the Y is here to help, as developing Type 2 diabetes not only puts a tremendous strain on our health care system but impacts the lives of millions of people and their families each year.”

A simple test at YMCA.net/diabetes can assess the risk of prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes. The assessment also addresses lifestyle choices and family history to help determine the ultimate risk for developing the disease.

Factors that could put a person at risk for Type 2 diabetes include race, age, weight and activity level. If a person is at risk, a diabetes screening conducted by a physician can confirm a diabetes or prediabetes diagnosis.

 

The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program uses a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-approved curriculum and is part of the CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program.

The goals of the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program are to reduce individual weight by at least 7 percent and to build up to 150 minutes of physical activity per week for the purpose of diabetes risk reduction. These goals are achieved by focusing on behavioral modification around healthy eating and physical activity.

Morgan says the first group to take the classes, which began in March, has achieved 100 percent success in meeting these goals, and several people have surpassed the 7 percent weight loss goal.

 

To learn more about the Diabetes Prevention Program, contact program manager Laurie Ward at 704-216-9622 or lward@rowanymca.org. 

The Rowan County YMCA is a United Way agency.