The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan’s “My Choice … My Health” program to its registry of recognized diabetes prevention programs, a list of verified programs providing accurate, reliable, and trustworthy information to participants via group classes and support.
“Diabetes is one of the most serious health challenges in America today,” says Dr. Art Franke, senior vice president and chief science officer at the Ann Arbor-based foundation, noting that the diabetes causes more than 40 percent of all kidney failure cases. “My Choice … My Health is a powerful answer because it provides participants with the tools to take greater control over their health and work toward staying diabetes-free.”
The year-long program takes place in a classroom setting where a trained lifestyle coach instructs a small group of participants about behavior changes over 16, one-hour sessions. Topics include healthier eating, getting started with physical activity, overcoming stress, and staying motivated. After the initial 16 core sessions, participants meet monthly for additional support to help maintain their progress.
The foundation has offered more than 20 courses through the My Choice … My Health program over the past two years, with results showing that by modifying diet and exercise, participants can lose 5 to 7 percent of starting body weight and delay or prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.
At the 24-month reporting interval, the CDC conducts an initial recognition status determination for programs that have applied to be part of the CDC Diabetes Prevention Recognition Program, before being awarded CDC Full Recognition.
According to research from the CDC, participants in the lifestyle intervention program experience a 58 percent lower incidence of type 2 diabetes than those who do not receive the lifestyle intervention. Lifestyle changes work particularly well for participants aged 60 and older, reducing their risk by 71 percent.
“To tackle the diabetes epidemic in Michigan, it is critical that proven, evidence-based prevention programs are made accessible and affordable to the people who are most vulnerable to the disease, particularly those enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid,” Franke says.
For more information about My Choice … My Health, visit nkfm.org/dpp. To access the full registry of registered programs, click here.
