Essentia Health partners with YMCA to host diabetes-prevention class

Essentia Health is teaming with the Duluth Area Family YMCA to offer 12-month diabetes-prevention classes.

The classes, part of the YMCA’s National Diabetes Prevention Program, are free thanks to a grant from Essentia Health. They help participants reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes by learning ways to eat healthy, increase physical activity and problem solve challenges. The goal is for participants to decrease their weight by 7 percent and increase their physical activity to 150 minutes per week.

“This program is research-based and has been shown to reduce the number of new cases of type 2 diabetes by as much as 58 percent,” said Essentia Health community health specialist Martina Mellang. “The reduction was even greater — 71 percent — among adults aged 60 years or older.”

There are three options for the classes:

• 5 p.m. every Monday at Essentia’s Third Street Building, starting Sept. 9
• 9:30 a.m. every Wednesday at the downtown YMCA, starting Oct. 9
• 4 p.m. every Thursday at the downtown YMCA, starting Nov. 14

More than 100 million Americans live with diabetes or prediabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To register for one of the classes, which are led by a trained lifestyle coach, call the Duluth Area Family YMCA at (218) 722-4745.