Hockomock Area YMCA Receives Award to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

The Hockomock Area YMCA announced that it is one of 11 YMCAs nationwide to receive a grant from the YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Diabetes Prevention Program, to help expand the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program and help reduce the burden of chronic disease in communities across the nation. 

YMCA of the USA, the national resource office for the nation’s 2,700 YMCAs, is working with CDC and other organizations to expand the program nationwide as part of CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention Program. The Hockomock Area YMCA will launch the program and offer classes to community members beginning this month. 

“Providing support and opportunities that empower people to be healthy and live well is part of the YMCA’s charitable purpose,” said Ed Hurley, President of the Hockomock Area YMCA.  “We welcome the chance to partner with the local medical community to bring an effective program to prevent type 2 diabetes to help individuals in this community make lasting changes to protect their health.”

CDC leads the National Diabetes Prevention Program, which offers communities an evidence-based lifestyle change program to prevent type 2 diabetes. The program is geared to those at high risk of type 2 diabetes. People have a higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes if they are overweight, age 45 years or older, have a family history of the disease, get little physical activity, developed gestational diabetes while pregnant, or are members of certain racial/ethnic groups, including African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders. 

The program is based on a research study led by the National Institutes of Health and supported by CDC, which showed that people with prediabetes could reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes by making modest lifestyle changes that resulted in a 5 to 7 percent weight loss (about 10-14 pounds for a 200-pound person). CDC estimates that national implementation of the prevention program could save $5.7 billion in health care costs and prevent 885,000 cases of type 2 diabetes in the next 25 years.

Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine were able to replicate the successful results of the national DPP research study with the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis.  Unlike the national DPP research study, which was conducted with individuals one-on-one, the YMCA’s program is conducted in a group setting.

The research by the Indiana University researchers also demonstrated that the YMCA could effectively deliver a group-based lifestyle intervention for about 75 percent less than the cost of the original Diabetes Prevention Program.  This research also highlighted the ability of the Y to take the program to scale nationally.   “We now have proof that lifestyle interventions delivered through community-based organizations such as the Y can save lives and health care dollars,” said Emily Holliman, President of Norwood Hospital. 

The program provides a supportive environment where participants work together in a small group to learn about healthier eating, and increasing their physical activity in order to reduce their risk for developing diabetes. The evidence-based program is delivered over a 12-month period, with 16 weekly core sessions then monthly maintenance.  It is classroom based and can be offered in any community setting. 

“The partnership between the YMCA, Norwood Hospital, and the CDC stands to reduce the burden of diabetes, one of the nation’s costliest diseases, in the communities we serve,” said Emily Holliman.  “With CDCs recent prediction of an increase in diabetes rates, it’s of the utmost importance that we do all we can to help the 79 million people in the United States who have prediabetes prevent the onset of the disease to live healthy, happy and more productive lives.”