Monthly Health Articles Archive

Diabetic prevention for the whole family

When making healthy changes in your life, having the support of family and friends is sometimes the essential piece that keeps your motivation and inspiration going.  Kossuth Regional Health Center, along with other hospitals throughout the Mercy Network, is kicking off a new wellness program designed for the entire family.  “Yes We Can!” is a free program offered by KRHC that encourages physical activity and healthful eating as a way to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.

Deb Studer, a registered and licensed dietitian, and I will offer a four-part class that involves nutrition and health tips, food tastings, cooking demonstrations, and ideas for physical activity.  The class may include a computer analysis of body composition to determine diabetes risk. In total, this program provides more than $1,000 in services per participant, all for free due to a recent grant from HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) through the US Department of Health and Human Services.

We’re encouraging people to bring the whole family to these sessions, especially if more than one person in the household has several of the risk factors for diabetes.  Risk factors for diabetes include having a family member with diabetes, your age (as diabetes become more common as you get older), being overweight, having a sedentary lifestyle or a lack of physical activity and having a history of diabetes during pregnancy.

Diabetes is becoming more common in both adults and in children.  The good news is that success has been found in preventing diabetes through lifestyle changes, according to a study reported on by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.  In a major clinical trial involving Americans at high risk for type 2 diabetes, it was discovered that changes in diet and exercise – when coupled with weight loss – can prevent or delay this disease.  Those who participated and made healthy changes regarding diet and physical activity reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes by 58 percent.  This type of intervention was effective for all who participated, regardless of a person’s age or ethnic group.

“Yes We Can!” is designed to provide the ideas and activities to help spark these lifestyle changeswithin the entire family.  Classes will discuss small changes that can be made regarding healthy foods and ways to encourage physical activity.  If you and your family are interested in taking part in this new class, please contact us to sign up.  Class dates and times are still being finalized.  For more information, contact Kossuth Regional Health Center at 515-295-4607.

-Sheila Ingalls, R.N. is a Certified Diabetic Educator at KRHC