The Coastal Health District Chronic Disease Prevention Program will offer free blood glucose screens in Chatham and Effingham counties in August and launch National Diabetes Prevention Program in September.
There are more than 79 million Americans who have prediabetes and many do not know it. People with prediabetes have blood glucose (sugar) levels higher than normal. The levels are not yet high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis; however, people with prediabetes are more likely to get type 2 diabetes than others. Diabetes can lead to serious health complications, including heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, or loss of toes, feet, or legs. Even though prediabetes puts you at high risk, there are ways you can lower your chance of getting type 2 diabetes.
Free blood glucose (sugar) screens will be held from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. at the Chatham County Health Department located at 1602 Drayton St. on Thursday, August 23, and at the Effingham County Health Department located at 802 Hwy. 119 South in Springfield. on Thursday, August 30. Those who score a 9 or higher on the CDC Prediabetes Test or have a blood glucose reading in the prediabetic realm will be invited to take part in our upcoming Diabetes Prevention Program. The program is free and designed to help prediabetics avoid type 2 diabetes by making modest lifestyle changes.
The National Diabetes Prevention Program will kick off in September. This is a year-long program designed to help prediabetics avoid type 2 diabetes by making modest lifestyle changes. The participants will be provided a Lifestyle Coach and a group for support, a group facing the same challenges and trying to make the same changes. An informational meeting about the Diabetes Prevention Program will be held from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 6, at the Coastal Health District administrative office located at 400 Mall Blvd. (South State Bank Building), Suite G in Savannah.
Anyone seeking additional information about the Diabetes Prevention Program can contact Coastal Health District Chronic Disease Prevention Director, Cristina Gibson at 912-644-5818 or email cristina.gibson@dph.ga.gov.
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