Eastern Shore Rural Health Free Diabetes Prevention Program Begins April 29

Isabella Karash (left) and Tomeka Watkinson recently completed a free Diabetes Prevention Program offered by Eastern Shore Rural Health. For more information about the program, open to all qualifying Eastern Shore of Virginia residents, call 757-331-1086 ext. 1316.

Eastern Shore Rural Health System, Inc. is now recruiting for a new group to participate in a diabetes prevention program. The PreventT2 lifestyle change program is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The program is free to qualifying pre-diabetic Eastern Shore of Virginia residents. Participants do not have to be Eastern Shore Rural Health patients.

This virtual program will help participants make modest lifestyle changes to cut their risk of type 2 diabetes by more than half. Prediabetes affects an estimated 84 million Americans, but only 1 in 10 know they have it. Without weight loss or routine moderate physical activity, many of them will develop type 2 diabetes, putting them at risk for kidney failure; blindness; heart attack; stroke; or loss of toes, feet, or legs. Prediabetes may lead to diabetes, but it doesn’t have to. Past participants have had good results due to the easy to follow format designed to make taking positive steps easier. The most recent class ended in February with 10 participants completing the class. The class members lost a combined 110 pounds, with each class member losing four percent or more of their body weight and several improving their A1c average blood sugar levels as well.

Call 757-331-1086 ext. 1316 with questions and to register for the program. A quiz to see if you may have prediabetes is available at https://esrh.org/diabetes-prevention-program/.