Grambling to host first-ever CDC-sponsored diabetes prevention program
Grambling State University will soon be the first college campus to host a program funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aimed at preventing and managing diabetes.
The program, called "Change Your Lifestyle, Change Your Life," will give community members the tools needed to prevent Type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions, including high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Throughout the course of a year, participants will meet virtually to discuss how they can change their relationship with food and pursue a healthier lifestyle. They'll also work with a lifestyle coach to strengthen their commitment to change.
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"Generally, students have decent body composition and fitness, levels and habits, but they are not aware of family members diagnosed with it, that they might be predisposed to it," said Larry Proctor, the program's coordinator at Grambling. "They're not aware of the harmful effects of it."
The program was created by the Black Women's Health Imperative, the nation's only organization dedicated to the health and wellness of Black women and girls. Though the CDC funds programming at various community locations across the nation, the program will come to Grambling's campus in the Department of Kinesiology, Sport & Leisure Studies as part of funding from Well-Ahead Louisiana.
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Paula Green-Smith, chief training officer for the Black Women's Health Initiative, said she is especially excited to bring Change Your Lifestyle, Change Your Life to Grambling, a historically Black university. Green-Smith said this opportunity allows the Black community, which bears the greatest burden of diabetes, to get the resources it needs while also empowering a younger generation to take charge of their health and change the health outcomes of future generations.
"Typically, we work with adult populations that their average age is between 45 and 65, and to be able to work with younger individuals and let them become ambassadors for the program, to allow them to achieve the success that they can achieve in the program and then help us reach out to others at a younger age to prevent this is just an awesome opportunity for us," Green-Smith said.
Roughly 88 million Americans live with prediabetes, a precursor to Type 2 diabetes. Proctor said the state of Louisiana struggles with high levels of obesity, a risk factor for chronic disease, and Northeast Louisiana is one of the highest regions in the state for levels of chronic disease. While people tend to have a general knowledge about diabetes, Proctor said most do not have intricate enough information to understand the risk diabetes can bring, including death. Through this program, Proctor said he hopes to prevent folks from experiencing negative outcomes.
Proctor said another goal of bringing the program to Grambling is to help it sustain itself after the initial funding runs out. By training staff members at Grambling, he said the university can continue to provide diabetes resources to the community indefinitely.
"Our mission is to make sure that we not only do these programs with grant funds for the short term but to make sure that they have the sustainability to do this for the long term," Green-Smith said. "By doing so, we are able to help communities prevent diabetes."
Furthermore, Green-Smith said bringing the program to Grambling provides another career avenue for students. They will get the chance to learn about careers as a lifestyle coach and possibly become one themselves.
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Change Your Lifestyle, Change Your Life at Grambling will host two cohorts starting in January, one for students and another for faculty, staff and community members. Proctor said cohorts will have an upward limit of 20 people each, but people will not be turned away if there is higher demand. The program, which usually comes with a price tag, will be offered free of charge to participants thanks to funding from the state.
An orientation will be held for the program Dec. 9 at 11 a.m. People can register for the Zoom meeting at bit.ly/CYL2GRAM-Dec9.
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This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Grambling is first university with CDC diabetes prevention program
