Contact: Jack Bailey (304) 766-4109
INSTITUTE, W.Va. – West Virginia State University (WVSU) Extension Service has launched a new program to help prevent Type 2 diabetes. The PreventT2 program, part of the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) diabetes prevention efforts, is a free series of sessions teaching the behavior change skills needed to reduce Type 2 diabetes risk factors.
“Statistics show that one out of three American adults has prediabetes, and many are unaware,” said Dr. Donte Pennington, assistant program director for family and consumer sciences with WVSU Extension Service. “With our Prevent T2 lifestyle change program, you can learn to make lasting behavioral changes to prevent Type 2 diabetes.”
Having prediabetes means that the blood glucose (sugar) level is higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. This raises the risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
According to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Bureau for Public Health, 1 in 12 West Virginia adults has prediabetes, and without weight loss and moderate physical activity, 15% to 30% of people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within five years.
Prevent T2 is structured as a year-long initiative with weekly meetings for the first six months, then monthly for the remainder of the program. Participants will learn about behavior modification for weight loss, physical activity and stress management, among other factors that can contribute to diabetes, as well as support from a trained lifestyle coach and fellow participants.
The PreventT2 lifestyle change program is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The program is proven to help participants make modest lifestyle changes that can cut the risk of Type 2 diabetes by more than half.
Meetings will be held on the WVSU campus in Institute and at various locations throughout the Kanawha Valley. To learn more about WVSU Extension Service’s Prevent T2 program, and to enroll, visit .
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