Diabetes Prevention

• To qualify for the YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program an individual must be at least 18 years old, overweight with a BMI greater than or equal to 25 (23 if Asian) and diagnosed with prediabetes through a blood test or a previous diagnosis of gestational diabetes.
• The YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program uses a CDC approved curriculum and is part of the CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program.
• A Y membership is not required for participation in the YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program.
• Cost $429 / 12-payments of $35.75 Financial assistance is available.
• The 12-month group-based program consists of 18 sessions in the first 6 months, followed by 8 sessions over the next 6 months.  
• Classes are led by a trained lifestyle coach who facilitates a small group of people with similar goals.

Goals:

• Lose 4-7% of your body weight
• Be physically active an average of 150 minutes each week.

You will do this by learning strategies for:

• Healthy Eating — Eating smaller portions, and switching to healthier food options has been proven to help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.
• Increasing Physical Activity — Studies have repeatedly shown that moderate physical activity (walking, swimming, mowing the lawn) for as little as 30 minutes, five days a week makes cells more sensitive to insulin and helps to prevent heart disease, stroke and several cancers.
• Losing Weight — It has been shown that reducing your body weight by even a small amount (as little as 7%) can offer tremendous benefits for people at risk for diabetes.
• Discuss topics such as healthy eating, physical activity, stress reduction, problem-solving, and much more. Stay motivated to maintain progress towards program goals with regular maintenance sessions in the last 6 months.

Based on research funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the program has been shown to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 58%. The reduction was even greater, 71%, among adults over 60 years old.

As a Doctor, How You Can Help...

Through our expertise in chronic disease prevention, the Y can help you help your patients.

As a leading nonprofit strengthening community, in part, through healthy living, the Y knows that in order to remain healthy, patients diagnosed with prediabetes often need to make lifestyle changes. We also understand that such changes can come with challenges and that having a reliable support system can not only make adjustments easier for your patients, but also help ensure that they stay motivated.

The YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program – based on research by the National Institutes of Health and part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – is an established, evidence-based disease prevention resource that can provide your patients with the support they need to adopt the behaviors you recommend to improve their condition. It uses a classroom setting and peer support to introduce and emphasize the benefits of:

• healthy eating
• moderate physical activity
• modest weight loss
• maintaining lifestyle changes

At the Y, we believe all people deserve the opportunity to live full, healthy lives. When you refer patients to the YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program you can rest assured that they are receiving help and guidance from trained lifestyle coaches who understand the many day-to-day changes they are trying to make. We will work closely with them to make sure that their efforts are supported and that they develop the kinds of healthy habits that we know can help delay, or even prevent, the onset of type 2 diabetes. We will provide you with updates on your patients' progress at regular intervals.

Partners and Community Organizations

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• UnitedHealth Group
• American Diabetes Association
• Diabetes Advocacy Alliance

How Lives Are Being Changed...

I don’t remember a life without diabetes and an awareness of my potential for diagnosis. I watched as my grandparents, mother, aunts, uncles and cousins struggled with the disease--and while experience was a great lesson, the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program was the first education course to truly impact me.

My life has been so positively impacted that several friends want to know what I’m doing that is working so well for me. The straightforward, simple preventative approach of counting calories, decreasing fat and increasing activity is easy to follow. It is put into easy-to-understand concepts that help me to focus on achieving a goal of lifestyle balance.

I used to lay awake at night and try to figure out how to lose weight and lower my risk of getting diabetes. Thanks to the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, I now know what to do, am doing it, and am experiencing success.

“Thank you” is not enough to say, but it will have to do. Thank you.

Donna N. – Ft. Wayne, IN

I learned I was borderline diabetic, and I knew I needed to do something about it. I was looking for a program with real interaction among other people facing the same struggle. Recently, I lost more than 50 pounds, and I accomplished this with the help of the Decatur Family Y and the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program. 

When I started the program, I was at 342 pounds. Currently, I weigh 290 pounds, a 13 percent decrease in my weight. At age 51, this program and the weight I’ve lost have made me a more confident person.

Eating smaller portions was difficult at first, because I’m a food guy. I really enjoy eating food, but this program taught me about nutrition and helped me establish a habit of eating healthier foods that I enjoy. I am more confident with meal planning and consumption, and I’m not mindlessly eating anymore.

This whole experience is having a positive effect on my family. I am able to engage more with my 16-year-old son and be a role model for him. For the first time, he’s eating and enjoying nutritious foods. He learned that healthy eating is important for everyone.

The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program changed my life. I am balancing my life better and am altogether healthier, happier and more confident.

John S. – Stone Mountain, GA

This program has made a huge difference in my life.  My blood pressure and cholesterol are back down where they are supposed to be. I have more energy. I want to do everything I can to stay on track and to keep myself motivated. 

I feel good about the fact that I am taking charge of my health and am doing what I can to be healthy. This is really important to me at a time when health care is so expensive.

This program did wonders for me and I know it can help other people as well.

Marilyn N. – Seattle, WA

As insurers prepare for 2026 coverage changes, documented participation in structured lifestyle programs is increasingly required prior to GLP-1 authorization. YDPP provides ongoing coaching and clear documentation of engagement that may help meet this requirement.