Recent data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicate that 1.7 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people over age 20 in 2012. The financial cost of the disease that same year – including work loss, disability, and premature death – is estimated at $245 billion. But the cost in quality of life can be far greater if the disease goes undetected or unmanaged.

The HopeHealth Diabetes and Nutrition Counseling Department offers a variety of programs to not only help patients diagnosed with the disease but also programs and services designed to help prevent or delay development of diabetes and address other diet-related health concerns. Programs include:

Medical Nutrition Therapy/Nutrition Counseling with one-on-one sessions for many different nutrition related conditions such as food allergies, weight management, blood pressure control, kidney disease, etc.

Better Choices Better Health Program for adults with any type of chronic condition such as high blood pressure, arthritis, or depression. Better Choices Better Health, a six-week small group program, focuses on developing skills for healthy eating, moving more, managing pain and stress as well as working with providers to manage overall health.

National Diabetes Prevention Program to prevent or delay diabetes. HopeHealth first offered the yearlong program in September 2015 and expects to graduate its first group this fall. It focuses on providing skills for healthy eating and physical activity, and is designed to help pre-diabetics make lifestyle changes over time.