YMCA of Greater Dayton to receive $10,000 CVS Health Grant to expand

ABC 22
by Aneceya Rice

DAYTON -- The YMCA of Greater Dayton received a grant from YMCA of the USA, in partnership with CVS Health, to expand access to the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program to underserved people in the Trotwood area.

The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program is a group-based lifestyle intervention for adults at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and has been shown to reduce the number of new cases of diabetes by 58 percent overall and by 71 percent in adults over 60.

Statistics for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that one in four Americans (86 million people) have prediabetes, up from 79 million in 2010. Prediabetes is a condition in which a person’s blood glucose is elevated but not high enough for a diabetes diagnosis. Only 10 percent of those with prediabetes know they have it but with awareness and simple actions, people with prediabetes may prevent the onset of diabetes.

The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, part of the CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program, is a 12-month evidence-based program that features a lifestyle coach who helps participants explore strategies for healthy eating, physical activity, and other lifestyle changes during 25, one-hour classroom sessions. Long-term program goals include reducing participants’ body weight by 7 percent and increasing physical activity to 150 minutes per week.

“The number of new people with prediabetes continues to rise and as a leading community-based organization committed to improving America’s health, it’s the Y’s responsibility to help provide everyone access to the program, regardless of financial circumstances,” said Ali Schulze, Diabetes Prevention Program Director, YMCA of Greater Dayton. “This grant will help boost participation by providing free access to the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program to low-income and underserved people in the Trotwood community who may not otherwise have access to opportunities to improve health and reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.”

The YMCA of Greater Dayton is one of 10 Ys in the U.S. to receive a 2016-2017 Participation Support Grant from Y-USA in partnership and CVS Health. To date more than 1300 people in the Miami Valley participated in the program, losing 5 percent of their body weight.

Nationally, more than 46,000 people participated in the program at more than 1,500 sites in 47 states throughout the country. Participants who completed the yearlong program lost an average of 5.5 percent of their body weight and completed an average of 160 minutes of physical activity per week.

For more information about how to qualify for access to the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program contact Ali Schulze at 937-223-5201.