Prevent T2: A Program to Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
Prevent T2 is a one-year program that helps people with prediabetes or those at high risk for type 2 diabetes make healthy lifestyle changes. The program focuses on healthy eating, regular physical activity, and building habits that can lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Think you may be at risk? Take our prediabetes risk test to learn more.
What is Prediabetes?
Prediabetes means your blood sugar level is higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.
Many people with prediabetes do not know they have it. In fact, about one in three adults has prediabetes. Without healthy lifestyle changes, such as losing weight or becoming more active, prediabetes can develop into type 2 diabetes within a few years.
Type 2 diabetes is a serious disease that can increase the risk of:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Vision loss or blindness
- Kidney disease
- Loss of toes, feet, or legs
About the Prevent T2 Program
Prevent T2 is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The program has been proven to help people with prediabetes prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Research shows it can lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 58%, and up to 71% for people age 60 and older. View the Diabetes Prevention Program Research Study.
Program Goals
The Saint Alphonsus Prevent T2 Program helps participants:
- Lose 5% to 7% of their body weight
- Get at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week
- Build skills to manage stress and daily challenges
What to Expect
Participants meet as a group for one year:
- Weekly sessions during the first four months
- One or two sessions each month for the rest of the year
During each session, a trained lifestyle coach will teach a lesson and lead group discussions.
Topics include:
- Healthy eating habits
- Adding more physical activity to your daily routine
- Managing stress
- Staying motivated
- Overcoming challenges that make healthy changes difficult
Your Lifestyle Coach
Your Prevent T2 lifestyle coach is specially trained to help you reach your health goals.
Your coach will help you:
- Learn about healthy eating and physical activity
- Understand how lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes
- Set realistic goals and stay on track
- Connect with and learn from other participants
- Work through challenges with support from the group
- Find community resources and services that may help meet your health and social needs
How to Get Started
- Take the prediabetes risk test to see if you may be at risk for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
- If you are at high risk, talk with your doctor about getting an A1C blood sugar test.
Who Can Join?
You may be eligible if you:
- Are 18 years or older
- Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or higher (23 or higher for people of Asian heritage)
- Have prediabetes or are at high risk for type 2 diabetes, including:
- A blood test showing prediabetes
- A history of diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
- A high-risk score on the prediabetes risk test
You are not eligible if you:
- Are currently pregnant
- Have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes
- Have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes
Learn More
To learn more about the Prevent T2 Program: