1. Springfield YMCA Diabetes Prevention
Program
Arlene Morris
Master of Public Health
August 2016
Preceptor: Janice Watson, Group Executive Director Downtown & Agawam Family
Centers and Association Sports and Recreation
Agency: YMCA of Greater Springfield, 272 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA 01104

2. Agenda
 What is Health
 Program Readiness Assessment Result
 Program Success
 Program Overview
 16 Core Sessions
 Healthy Eating
 Becoming Physically Active
 Becoming Physically Active Cont.
 Examples of Moderate Physical Activity
 Do You Know the Health Risks of Being Overweight?
 Step out like a Champ to Prevent or Control Your Diabetes for life
 Conclusion
 References

3. What is health?
On a weekly basis, you will be tracking your progress and your overall goal to lose 7% body
weight and increase physical activity by 150 minutes per week over the course of the first 16 weeks
which is completely realistic and a very positive step in warding off diabetes (YMCA of the USA,
2015).

4. Program Readiness Results
Diabetes is a chronic disease and is the cause of blood sugar levels to rise higher than
normal. In the United States a lone, more than 30 million people are diabetic and more than
86 million have prediabetes or are at risk of developing diabetes. Now the diabetes epidemic
has become local (YMCA Diabetes Program, 2015.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one in every 3 adults living in the
Hampden County has prediabetes and is at risk for type 2 diabetes, the highest rate in the
State of Massachusetts. The YMCA of Greater Springfield is here to educate, motivate and
support the community members affected by this disease, whether they have diabetes or have
the desire to reduce their risk ( CDC, 2015).

5. Program Success
By The Numbers
 Number of participants attending at
least one session 39,691
 Completer’s average year-end
weight loss 5.4%
 Y associations delivered 202
program across 43 States.
 Total number of program sites now
available 1,425
Diabetes (29Mil)
Prediabetes (86Mil)

6. YDPP Overview
The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program is a 12-month group-based program
consisting of two phases. The first six months include 19 sessions occur weekly and
then bi-weekly each session is 1 hour. The second six months are monthly sessions led
by a trained Lifestyle Coach (YMCA of the USA, 2015).

7. 16 Core Sessions
Session 1 – Welcome to the Lifestyle Balance Program
Session 2 – Be a Fat Detective
Session 3 – Three Ways to Eat Less Fat
Session 4 – Healthy Eating
Session 5 – Move Those Muscles
Session 6 – Being Active: A Way of Life
Session 7 – Tip the Calorie Balance
Session 8 – Take Charge of What’s Around You

8. 16 Core Sessions Cont.
Session 9 – Problem Solving
Session 10 – Four Keys to Healthy Eating
Session 11 – Talk Back to Negative Thoughts
Session 12 – The Slippery Slope of Lifestyle Change
Session 13 – Jump Start Your Activity Plan
Session 14 – Make Social Cues Work for You
Session 15 – You Can Manage Stress
Session 16 – Ways to Stay Motivated

9. Eating Healthy
 Evidential support shows that focusing on total fat rather than calories
reduce the risk of diabetes.
 Focus on total fat is designed to accomplish a decrease in caloric intake
instead of a restrictive diet.
 It is much simpler to self monitor total fat grams (YMCA Diabetes
Program, 2016).

10. Importance of Reading Food Labels
• Part of lose weight involves eating
healthy.
• Healthy eating requires eating less fat
and fewer calories.
• Eating too much fat is fattening and
results weight gaining (YMCA of the
USA, 2015).

11. Becoming Physically Active
When selecting physical activities choose ones that are
enjoyable, can be done at own pace and start with 5 to 10
minutes sessions and remember to warm up before and after
the activity (YMCA of the USA (2015).

12. Becoming Physically Active Cont.

13. Examples of Moderate Physical Activity
STRUCTURED/SPORTING HOUSEHOLD/EVERYDAY
ACTIVITIES
Water Aerobics Walking the dog at a brisk pace
Brisk walking Mowing the lawn with a push-mower for
about 10 to 15 minutes
Swimming Shoveling snow
Bike riding Washing and Waxing your car
Sports (basketball, soccer, volleyball) Washing and scrubbing your floors
Jazzercise – or just dancing Walking the stairs
Lifting weights Raking the leaves
Exercise Equipment/Machines (treadmills,
elliptical,
stationary bike) (YMCA of the USA,
2015).
Heavy gardening

14. Step out like a Champ to Prevent or
Control Your Diabetes for life
The first step toward reducing diabetes health risk is already taken by joining the
YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program! Remember, the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention
Program is based on research funded by the National Institutes of Health and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which showed that by eating healthier,
increasing physical activity and losing a modest amount of weight, a person with
prediabetes can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes by 58% and 71% in
adults over age 60.

15. Step out like a Champ to Prevent or
Control Your Diabetes for life Cont.
Every 17 second someone in the USA is being diagnosed with type 2
diabetes.
 Take the first step to change and protect your future for good.
 You are stronger than diabetes take a risk test today.
 The YMCA can help you prevent and control diabetes over a 12 month
period. HERE IS HOW!!! (YMCA Diabetes Program, 2016 & CDC, 2015).

16. Conclusion
The main objective of the diabetes prevention program at the
YMCA is to bring awareness and educate high risk individuals how to
make lifestyle changes and to delay the development of type 2 diabetes
in the community.

17. End of Presentation
Do you have any
questions?

18. References
 CDC. (2015). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Atlanta:
National Diabetes Statistics Report: Estimates of Diabetes and Its Burden in the
United States.
 YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program. (2016, March 20). Retrieved from
YMCA: http://www.ymca.net/diabetes-prevention
 YMCA Diabetes Program. (2016). Retrieved from YMCA of Greater
Springfield: http://www.springfieldy.org/our-focus/diabetes/
 YMCA of the USA. (2015). Measurable Progress Unlimited Support:
Diabetes Prevention Program . Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh.