The YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program (YDPP) helps those at high risk adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles and reduce their chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
YDPP is based on the landmark Diabetes Prevention Program funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which showed that by eating healthier, increasing physical activity, and losing a small amount of weight, a person with pre-diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes by 58%.
In a classroom setting, a trained lifestyle coach helps program participants change their lifestyles by learning about healthy eating, physical activity, and other behavior changes over the course of 16 one-hour sessions. Topics covered include nutrition, getting started with physical activity, overcoming stress, staying motivated, and more. After the initial core sessions, participants will meet monthly for up to a year for added support to help them maintain their progress.