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Preventing Type 2 Diabetes: A Shift Towards Holistic Care

by | Jul 5, 2016

A few months ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released “Prevent T2”, a long awaited update to the original “National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP)” released in 2002. The new curriculum was developed to reflect the latest scientific evidence on diet, physical activity, and self-efficacy. Considering the sheer magnitude of the pre-diabetes epidemic, with 86 million adults affected by pre-diabetes [1], the potential impact of a new refined curriculum based on years of research and follow-up data is huge.

The original NDPP was created for individuals diagnosed with pre-diabetes or at risk for type 2 diabetes. Years of research aimed at creating a program for at risk populations to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes through lifestyle changes. Individuals who followed the program with the goal of losing 5% to 7% of their body weight by making healthier food choices and getting 150 minutes of physical activity per week, were able to cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58%. What’s even more impressive, is that program was more successful at preventing diabetes than Metformin, a medication that is sometimes prescribed to people with pre-diabetes. Better yet? The effects of the program were long lasting — people who completed the program were one third less likely to develop diabetes even after 10 years!

While the original program is still valid, the CDC’s new program has been revamped in a number of ways to promote even greater success of its participants. Here are some exciting points to highlight:

 

  • The program is prescriptive. While the original program focuses on reducing fat intake to lose weight, the new program lays the foundations for developing a healthy, well-balanced diet by discussing foods to incorporate and limit, and addresses the link between carbohydrates and type 2 diabetes.
  • The program is practical. Changing behaviors is about more than education. The new curriculum offers more practical tips and tricks around food preparation and incorporating activity into daily living.
  • The program is health-centered. Discussions around diabetes and heart health are included throughout the program.
  • The program is culturally-sensitive. Two curricula were released: english and spanish. These curricula were created independently and include culturally relevant examples of food and food measurements, as well as physical activity.
  • The program is flexible. To improve the participants experience, coaches are able to select weekly topics based on their group’s needs, meeting them halfway.

 

Noom is excited about these updates as they align with our philosophy and holistic approach to disease prevention and management. Our mobile human coaching platform allows us to meet users where they are to provide each individual with a personalized, yet scalable program, by incorporating the latest smart technology. We are moving full speed ahead to be able to deliver the updated program to our users in the near future!