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Community members are preventing type 2 diabetes, together with the PreventT2 lifestyle change program offered by Memorial Hospital of Converse County. Guided by trained diabetes care and education specialists, groups of participants learn the skills they need to make lasting changes such as losing a modest amount of weight, being more physically active, and managing stress. People with prediabetes — higher-than-normal blood glucose (sugar) levels — are 5 to 15 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with normal blood glucose levels. Many people with prediabetes can be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within five years.

“One in three American adults has prediabetes, so the need for prevention has never been greater,” said Memorial Hospital of Converse County Diabetes Care & Education Specialist Ashley Littleton. “The PreventT2 program offers a proven approach to preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes through modest lifestyle changes made with the support of a coach and one’s peers.” Throughout the course, participants will learn how to eat healthily, add physical activity to their routine, manage stress, stay motivated, and solve problems that many face with healthy changes. PreventT2 groups meet for a year — weekly for the first 6 months, then once or twice a month for the second 6 months to maintain healthy lifestyle changes. The program’s group setting provides a supportive environment with people facing similar challenges and trying to make the same changes.

Together participants celebrate their successes and find ways to overcome obstacles. PreventT2 is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The local program meets at the Medical Office Building in Douglas, on Mondays at Noon, and costs $75. A virtual meet option is available due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and scholarships are available. Memorial Hospital of Converse County is working to fill this initial program in the coming weeks.

PreventT2 is based on research that showed that people with prediabetes who lost 5 to 7 percent of their body weight (10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person) by making modest changes reduced their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent. Nationwide implementation of the program could significantly reduce future cases of type 2 diabetes, a serious condition that can lead to health problems, including heart attack; stroke; blindness; kidney failure; or loss of toes, feet, or legs.

“Small changes can add up to a big difference,” added Littleton. “Working with a trained lifestyle coach who provides guidance, PreventT2 participants are making lasting changes together.”

To participate in the PreventT2 program, contact Ashley Littleton at 307.358.7300 or find out more on the MHCC website by clicking here.

PreventT2 is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is proven to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Research shows that modest behavior changes, such as making better food choices and increasing physical activity, reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent in people at high risk for developing this disease. The National Diabetes Prevention Program brings together federal agencies, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, employers, insurers, healthcare professionals, academia, and other stakeholders to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes among people with prediabetes. Find out more at www.cdc.gov/PreventT2.

Memorial Hospital of Converse County is a 25-Bed Critical Access Hospital located in Douglas. Memorial Hospital has ten clinic locations across nine additional Wyoming Communities outside of Douglas, including Casper, Gillette, Riverton, Lander, Glenrock, Lusk, Torrington, Guernsey, and Wheatland. Find out more at www.ConverseHospital.com