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Published on January 17, 2019

Tidelands Health Diabetes Prevention Program earns national recognition

A Tidelands Health program that promotes positive lifestyle changes to help reduce the incidence of diabetes in our region has earned national recognition from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Tidelands Health Diabetes Prevention Program recently became only the ninth of its kind in South Carolina to earn full recognition from the CDC. The designation is reserved for diabetes prevention programs that effectively deliver a quality, evidence-based program that meets stringent CDC guidelines. Happy Woman

The Tidelands Health Diabetes Prevention Program is a community-based effort that offers education and support to help people improve their health and delay or prevent the onset of diabetes, the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S. Classes are offered at Tidelands Health facilities and in churches, community centers and businesses.

“The goal of our program is to empower people at risk for diabetes to take control of their health,” said Linda Bonesteel, director of community health resources for Tidelands Health. “We want to reduce the rate of diabetes one person at a time.”

Participants in the program learn about diabetes and explore how nutrition and exercise can help combat the disease. Each participant is asked to engage in at least 150 minutes of physical activity every week, and each class of participants is challenged to lose at least five percent of its collective weight over the course of a year.

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Tidelands Health, in collaboration with MUSC Health, is the region’s largest health care provider, serving the Carolinas at four hospitals and more than 70 outpatient locations. More than 2,500 employee, physician and volunteer partners work side by side with our communities to transform the health of our region – promoting wellness, preventing illness, encouraging recovery and restoring health.