Diabetes prevention program offered

The Whitman County Extension of WSU is now offering a national diabetes program to help combat pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. The extension office announced the program in a March 7 news release.

“Starting today, the Washington State University Whitman County Extension National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) offers people at high risk for Type 2 diabetes an evidence-based program that can help prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes through lifestyle changes,” the release stated.

Shirley Calodish, WSU Extension program manager for Health and Promotion and Diabetes Education, said this program is about prevention and coaching.

“As the number of Americans with pre-diabetes grows, we face the certainty of increasing disease, disability and health care expense,” she said in a statement. “The National DPP offers a proven approach to delaying or preventing the onset of Type 2 diabetes through modest lifestyle changes made with the support of a coach and one's peers.”

According to the news release, those participating in the program will be meeting as a group with a trained lifestyle school. They will “learn how to make important changes, such as losing a modest amount of weight, being more physically active and managing stress.”

The local class is being offered on the WSU campus.

“The Extension office is excited to bring the National DPP to the community again,” said Catie Fairgrieve, DPP coordinator, in a statement. “By giving people at risk for Type 2 diabetes the opportunity to work with a trained lifestyle coach and benefit from the experiences of their peers, we are helping to improve health and well-being on the Palouse in a way that is achievable and sustainable.”

For more information, go to http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/index.html, email Fairgrieve at c.fairgrieve@wsu.edu or call the Extension office at 509-397-6290.