Prevent Diabetes
Are you at risk for prediabetes? 1 in 3 Americans have prediabetes and do not know they have it. Could YOU be at risk? Learn more about our diabetes prevention program which is proven to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
What is Prediabetes?
Prediabetes is a condition when a person’s blood sugar level is higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Without treatment and lifestyle changes, people can develop type 2 diabetes within 5 years.
Type 2 diabetes can lead to other health issues such as heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, or the loss of toes, feet or legs. With healthy lifestyle changes (weight loss, healthy eating, and increased physical activity), people can delay or prevent diabetes and restore their blood sugar level back to normal.
About the Diabetes Program
The National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is an evidence-based lifestyle change program to help participants prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. The program will help participants learn and make achievable and realistic lifestyle changes to help you:
- Eat healthily
- Incorporate physical activity into a daily routine
- Manage stress
- Solve problems that get in the way of healthy changes
Program Outcomes
At the end of the program participants should be able to:
- Lose weight
- Increase physical activity to 150 minutes a week
- Increase daily intake of fruits and vegetables
Program Commitment
The program is 12 months long:
- Core: 16 weekly one-hour sessions
- Post Core: 8 months of bi-monthly or monthly one-hour sessions
Does 12 months sound like a long time? Learning new habits and making changes take time.
To join the Diabetes Prevention Program, you must be:
- 18 years of age or older
- Overweight (BMI >24 or 22 for Asians)
- Have a lab test within the past year indicating a diagnosis of prediabetes or gestational diabetes
- Have a Hennepin Healthcare primary care provider
- Be willing to commit to a yearlong program
Locations and Contacts
The DPP program is offered at various times throughout the year located at Hennepin Healthcare locations. If you are a patient at Hennepin Healthcare and are interested in participating in the program, please talk to your provider for a referral to the program. One of the community health workers will contact you.
- Brooklyn Park Clinic: Emilia Jackson Kailey
- Hennepin Health Access Clinic: Mia Debbins
- Internal Medicine Clinic: Paula Brown | Destiny Powell
- East Lake Clinic: Mariela Ardemagni-Tollin
- Richfield Clinic: Nancy Figueroa Ramirez
- Whittier Clinic: Roman Gonzalez | Lourdes Martinez
If you have questions regarding the program or will like to get more information, please contact Vanessa Xiong, DPP Coordinator at 612-873-7508.
