Live Well Longer
The YMCA's evidence-based Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) helps adults at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles by eating healthier, increasing physical activity, and losing a modest amount of weight to reduce their chances of developing the disease.
The Diabetes Prevention Program at the YMCA of Greater Seattle has received a Full Plus Recognition status from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This full recognition status – an A+ grade indicates that our program exceeds standards set by the CDC to effectively deliver this program to people with prediabetes or at risk for diabetes.
Learn Your Risk
88 million Americans are at risk for type 2 diabetes, but only 10% are aware! Take this 60 second online quiz from the Center for Disease Control and American Diabetes Association to help you assess your risk level.
Take the Quiz.
What Can You Expect?
The Y's Diabetes Prevention Program is designed to help participants adopt and maintain positive lifestyle changes. Participants in the program can expect the following:
A Year-Long Commitment
This Y's DPP program lasts one year and has 25 sessions. Attending every session is crucial to success and to achieving your long-term program goals.
Food Tracking
Tracking food intake can help you to eat smaller portions, reduce fat intake, and modify eating habits long-term. These changes have been proven to help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Getting More Active
Many studies have shown that moderate physical activity (walking, swimming, bicycling) for 30 minutes, five days a week, can help improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Group Support
Our trained Lifestyle Coaches facilitate the ongoing sessions, in which a small, supportive group of participants meet to encourage each other to stay motivated and maintain progress.
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This program has made a huge difference in my life. My blood pressure and cholesterol are back down where they are supposed to be. I have more energy. I want to do everything I can to stay on track and to keep myself motivated.
— Marilyn N.
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What Outcomes Will You Achieve?
Small lifestyle changes make a big difference in reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes. The Y's Diabetes Prevention Program promotes the following outcomes:
Healthier Eating Habits
The focus is reducing total dietary fat intake, not eliminating carbohydrates while modeling the MyPlate method.
Increased Physical Activity
Participants will be encouraged to increase their activity to 150 minutes per week through moderate and sustainable exercise.
Reduced Body Weight
Our first two outcomes, eating healthier and moving more, will naturally contribute to a modest reduction in body weight.
Upcoming Information Sessions and Programs
Join us for a free information session to learn more about the YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program.
- Monday, January 13 | 5:00–6:00 pm | Register here >>
Fill out our Get Started Now form to add your name to our interest list for upcoming programs listed below, or schedule a call today to learn more.
- Starts January 23 | Thursdays at 5:30 pm | Virtual
- Starts February 5 | Wednesdays at 10:00 am | Virtual
- Starts February 13 | Thursdays at 5:30 pm | Virtual
- Starts February 25 | Tuesdays at 12:00 pm | In Person at the Matt Griffin YMCA in SeaTac
- Starts March 19 | Wednesdays at 5:30 pm | Virtual
- Starts April 1 | Tuesdays at 10:00 am | Virtual
Eligibility
To qualify for the program, you must be at least 18 years old, with a BMI > 25 (BMI > 23 for Asian individuals), and at high risk for one of the following:
- Developing type 2 diabetes indicated by a confirmatory blood value,*
- Prediabetes that is determined by clinical diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes (GDM) during a previous pregnancy, or
- A qualifying risk score (see The American Diabetes Association online quiz.)
Individuals who have already been diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes do not qualify for this program.
*A confirmatory blood value means having a blood test result in the prediabetes range within the past year. A prediabetes range is any of the following:
- Hemoglobin A1C: 5.7–6.4%
- Fasting plasma glucose: 100–125 mg/dL
- Two-hour plasma glucose (after a 75 gm glucose load): 140–199 mg/dL
Cost and Insurance
Traditional Medicare and some Medicare Advantage plans typically cover the full cost of our program for eligible participants with no co-pays required. If you have questions about insurance, please let us know via our contact form below.
For anyone not covered by Medicare, we offer sliding-scale access to our diabetes prevention program based on ability to pay. If you are ready to make lifestyle changes, we will ensure cost is not a barrier to starting.
Reimbursement for the Y's Diabetes Prevention Program may be possible through your Health Savings account or Flexible Spending Account. Please read the answers to frequently asked questions here to learn more.
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