• By Todd Luck
• Posted Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Minority diabetes prevention program does enrollment for remote classes

The North Carolina Minority Diabetes Prevention Program (NC MDPP) is continuing its educational program with remote cohorts to help people reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes.

The local NC MDPP program held enrollment at Union Chapel Baptist Church on May 5. Classes in the year-long program will start with group conference calls with Lifestyle Coach Deltra Bonner with plans to have in-person classroom sessions once the social distancing guidelines are eased.

Originally planned as a drive-by enrollment event, it was moved indoors at the church due to weather concerns. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, social distancing was practiced as everyone was spaced at least six feet apart as they filled out paperwork. Everyone wore masks and used hand sanitizer. Tables and scales were wiped down with sanitary wipes after they were used.

NC MDPP Region 3 Coordinator Sharon Roberts said with people staying at home to slow the spread of COVID-19, it’s important for them to continue practicing a healthy lifestyle to prevent chronic health conditions like type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal that can lead to serious health problems and is the seventh leading cause of death in the country. Risk factors for diabetes include being 45 years of age or older, being overweight, having a family history of type 2 diabetes, being physically active less than three times a week, and if you’ve had diabetes while pregnant or given birth to a baby that weighed more than nine pounds.

NC MDPP is a North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services program that uses the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s PreventT2 curriculum and is coordinated in this region of the state by the Forsyth County Department of Public Health. It’s an evidence-proven curriculum that can cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by more than half along with modest lifestyle changes.

If you would like more information on how to become involved in a remote NC MDPP group, please contact the program coordinator at 336-703-3219 or robertsc@forsyth.cc.