A small group, ranging in age from 30 to 60, sit in the boardroom at Open Door Family Medical Center in Port Chester to learn from their Certified Lifestyle Coach about ways to live a healthier lifestyle. On this day, the group is discussing the impact of stress on their life and learning stress-management techniques.
The group is brought together through a recent diagnosis of prediabetes and the determination to prevent their condition from progressing to Type 2 diabetes. Each of these individuals has committed to completing the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP), an evidence-based program developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Prediabetes is a condition diagnosed by a Hemoglobin A1C test. This common lab test measures an individual’s average blood glucose levels over three successive months. Pre-diabetes is indicated when an A1C test reflects a value between 5.7 and 6.4%. Other risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes include a high Body Mass Index (BMI), sedentary lifestyle, high stress levels and/or a family history of diabetes.
Prediabetes is a concern because it is often a precursor to Type 2 diabetes, a disease that can lead to nerve, kidney and eye damage and result in amputation, visual problems and even death. While 10% of adults in the United States have Type 2 diabetes, another 38% have prediabetes. Many don’t know about the condition until it’s been revealed by a blood test.
In joining Open Door’s NDPP, offered in English and Spanish, each participant has made a year-long commitment to attending classes and making changes that have the potential to improve health outcomes for the rest of their lives.
For the first four months of the program, Wellness Coordinator Rolando Alvarez, a facilitator and a certified lifestyle coach, will spend an hour a week in the classroom teaching participants the importance of modifying eating habits, exercising regularly, reducing stress, and sleeping better. Later in the program, sessions are held less regularly, first biweekly, and then monthly. “While the classes meet less frequently,” he adds, “participants have made a commitment and we’re there for them.”
He emphasizes to the class that small steps can lead to big changes. For example, walking for 15 minutes during one’s lunch break twice this week might be where they start. This may then become a habit that evolves to include walking 15 minutes three times a week and doing 10 arm curls with exercise bands, weights, or cans of food the following week.
“We go over goal setting and how to overcome barriers. Participants develop a plan for making better choices and taking better control of their lives,” said Alvarez, who has been working as a patient advocate and wellness coordinator at Open Door since 2013. “Every class starts with an introduction, which includes an Action Plan. It then turns into an interactive session where we go around the room so everyone can talk about what they’ve been doing in terms of their nutrition and exercise. Weigh-ins are done in private. Many in the group bond, exchange phone numbers, and will end up walking together. Group members hold each other accountable.”
Participants of the multi-cultural group are often relieved to hear they don’t have to avoid the foods they grew up with. Instead, they learn about healthy portion sizes, food preparation adjustments and reading labels to make informed choices when buying groceries. When there are nutrition questions, Alvarez refers them to Open Door’s registered dietitians who work with individuals one-on-one to support their health goals. The participants, whose six-month goal is to lose 4 to 7% of their weight and be active 150 minutes a week, can also take advantage of Open Door’s Wellness Centers group exercise classes and gym.
According to one graduate of the program, “While the program is about nutrition and fitness, it’s also about accountability. It’s about creating a network of people that share the same challenges. Rather than feeling lonely and isolated, for the first time in my life, my friends were also my workout partners, my cheerleading squad, my recipe sharers, and my lifeline of support.”
Data shows that NDPP programs work. According to the CDC, participants who participate in programs like Open Door’s reduce their risk for developing Type 2 diabetes by 58% (and 71% among those 60 and older).
According to Alvarez, “Some need some help understanding the health risks while others are self-motivated. Some reach their goals in as few as three months and others take six months or a year. Everyone is on their own path, but when they stick with it, it’s life changing.”
