American Diabetes Association Alert Day — a Prediabetes Wake Up Call

Union, NJ, March 22, 2016 --(PR.com)-- March 22 is American Diabetes Association Alert Day, and with 26 million people suffering from diabetes and 86 million people having prediabetes, The Gateway Family YMCA urges everyone to learn their risks and take action to prevent the disease.

Prediabetes is a condition in which individuals have blood glucose levels that are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. People with prediabetes are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

“A prediabetes diagnosis should serve as a final warning to take action to prevent developing type 2 diabetes and there is no better time than American Diabetes Association Alert Day to determine risk,” said Krystal Canady, Chief Executive Officer of The Gateway Family YMCA. “The good news is that simple lifestyle changes reduce risk and programs like the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program can help,” added Melynda A. Mileski, Chief Operations Officer.

The first step in preventing diabetes is to find out if you are at risk for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes by taking a risk assessment at www.diabetes.org/risktest. Additionally individuals can learn how background and lifestyle choices help determine the risk for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Several factors that could put a person at risk for type 2 diabetes include family history, age, weight and activity level.

The next step is to make the necessary changes to help prevent the disease, and lifestyle modification programs like the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program can help. Facilitated by trained lifestyle coaches, the yearlong program provides a supportive environment where participants work together in a small group to learn about behavior changes that improve overall health, with the ultimate goals of reducing body weight by 7 percent and participating in 150 minutes of physical activity every week.

Initiatives like the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, part of the Y’s commitment to improving the nation’s health and well-being, show that losing a moderate amount of weight and increasing physical activity can prevent or delay new cases of type 2 diabetes by 58 percent overall and by as much as 71 percent in adults over the age of 60. The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program is part of the CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program and is available at nearly 1,000 sites in 42 states. New classes begin in March and April 2016.

To learn more about The Gateway Family YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, please contact Michael Johnson at 908-249-4809 and/or mjohnson@tgfymca.org.