Garnet Health is offering a free, 12-month Diabetes Prevention Program for qualified participants. Session-goers will have the option of a virtual-only group starting October 4 and continuing on Tuesdays from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; a hybrid class (virtual and in-person) starting October 5 and continuing on Wednesdays from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; or an in-person program starting October 6 and continuing on Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. to Noon.

This scientifically proven and effective lifestyle-enhancement program can help prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes. It is designed to teach individuals how to make better food choices, increase physical activity and provide helpful ways to cope with related issues and stress. Qualified participants will work together to achieve their goals, under the guidance of certified lifestyle coaches.

“More than one in three American adults has pre-diabetes, which increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, or having a stroke,” said Shelly Dehaan, Garnet Health Director of Diabetes Education. “The Prevent T2 program at Garnet Health teaches and encourages modest lifestyle changes that can make big gains in helping prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes.”

This program will motivate and support people with pre-diabetes to make practical, real-life changes while decreasing the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by more than half. 

The criteria for participation in the Diabetes Prevention Program includes:

• Must be at least 18-years-old
• Must be overweight (body mass index ≥25; ≥23 if Asian)
• Must have NO previous diagnosis of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes
• A positive screening for prediabetes based on the CDC Prediabetes Screening Test
• Or have a blood test result in the pre-diabetes range within the past year:
  • Hemoglobin A1C: 5.7%–6.4%
  • Fasting plasma glucose: 100–125 mg/dL or
  • Two-hour plasma glucose (after a 75 gm glucose load): 140–199 mg/dL
• A History of diagnosed gestational diabetes during a previous pregnancy

To learn more about the Garnet Health’s Diabetes Prevention Program, please call 845-333-2705 or visit www.garnethealth.org/preventdiabetes.

About Garnet Health

Garnet Health is a New York state, not-for-profit corporation headquartered in Middletown, New York, approximately 60 miles northwest of New York City. It is the corporate parent of Garnet Health Medical Center, Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills, Garnet Health Doctors, Garnet Health Urgent Care, Garnet Health Foundation and Garnet Health Foundation – Catskills. Garnet Health is dedicated to developing specialty services, medical programs and needed healthcare services that allow residents to remain close to home to receive quality care.

Providing healthcare to approximately 450,000 residents in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties, Garnet Health was designed to improve the quality, stability and efficiency of healthcare services in the mid-Hudson and Catskills region. Garnet Health provides services through more than 4,000 employed professionals and over 850 medical staff members. An academic affiliate of the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Garnet Health retains compassionate professionals who continually strive toward the hospital’s mission to improve the health of our community by providing exceptional healthcare. To learn more about Garnet Health, visit garnethealth.org.