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GENEVA Fifty-five participants. Almost 500 pounds of weight loss. A nearly 90 percent attendance rate.

Based on those numbers, Finger Lakes Health employees are calling their inaugural diabetes prevention program a resounding success and looking forward to the next session in September.

We had a great experience and met our expectations in every way, said Christina Ganzon, a registered dietitian at FL Healths Diabetes Care Center in Geneva. People really enjoyed the program, thought it was very beneficial and led to a healthier lifestyle.

The free 16-week program, developed by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is geared to prevent diabetes and other chronic diseases. Classes were held from January to June at the diabetes center on West North Street and FL Healths Lifecare Medical Associates practice in Seneca Falls.

Fifty-five people took part in three classes. While they were required to attend at least nine of the 16 classes, Ganzon said the average attendance was 14 out of 16 weeks an 88-percent rate.

I was a little bit nervous about the attendance, because attendance and weight loss are two data points the CDC really focuses on ... and people sometimes join things and dont always stick with it, she said. To have an average of 14 out of 16 weeks was great. We really tried to make the program active, doing a grocery store tour and a cooking demonstration.

The goal of the program is to make lifestyle changes and lose weight to prevent the onset of diabetes. Collectively, participants lost 482 pounds an average of 8.8 pounds per person.

According to the CDC, more than 9 percent of Americans (29.1 million people) are diagnosed with diabetes, and the disease has dramatically driven up health care costs. The program involves group meetings led by lifestyle coaches (registered nurses, certified diabetes educators and dietitians) in an effort to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Other members of the FL Health team along with Ganzon are Family Nurse Practitioner Rhonda Solomon, director of the diabetes center; Cheryl Andreas, a registered nurse; and diabetes educators Pat Cochrane and Amanda Tourtellotte.

The center provides a team of medical professionals with advanced education and experience in the field of diabetes. The philosophy of the center is based on the fact that diabetes is a complex disease that requires multiple professionals working together to make sure diabetics are getting the best care.

FL Health will start the next round of classes in mid-September (see accompanying article), as CDC guidelines call for a one-year commitment by local health agencies. Ganzon said Finger Lakes Health, which includes Soldiers & Sailors Hospital in Penn Yan, is looking to start the program in Yates County this fall but the time has not yet been determined.

Ganzon added that participants during the first session had plenty of support from family and friends. Those who came to classes alone soon found comrades in the group setting.

We had couples come in together, friends that came together, she said. Other people formed connections from being in the program. They would see each other at the grocery store, stop and talk about what they were buying. Some ended up becoming walking partners and others started going to the gym together. They bonded and started supporting one another.

Read the rest here:
FL Health diabetes program a success | Geneva | fltimes.com - Finger Lakes Times

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