Emory Healthcare news: New diabetes prevention program for employees

Emory employees who either have prediabetes or are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes can now participate in the university's new Diabetes Prevention Program, according to a university news release.

After the program’s successful pilot run last year, which experts with the School of Medicine, Rollins School of Public Health and other affiliated organizations concluded “withstood the test of rigorous research and evaluation,” DPP proved to be an effective approach for preventing diabetes.

The yearlong program aimed at combating the prevalence of prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes among Emory employees will be offered at a variety of sites, including Emory Healthcare and Emory University, as one-hour classes available once per week for 16 weeks. An additional eight to 16 classes will be featured for the remainder of the 12 months, according to the news release.

These classes are led by lifestyle coaches trained at Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health. Employees will learn about healthy eating, exercise and stress management “in a support group setting.”

Erin Ferranti, assistant professor in the School of Nursing, was one of many employees to participate in the specialized training to become a lifestyle coach.

“I am so excited that Emory is offering this to our employees,” she said in the news release. “Building on workplace teams and social groups will be highly beneficial to promote workplace wellness here at Emory.”

Maurice Watson, who works in the Food Nutrition Department at Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital, was a participant in the pilot run last year and found the program to be highly successful.

“I exercise every morning, eat regular healthy meals, have lost 25 pounds, and I feel so much better,” he said in the news release.

The next interest meeting for Emory's DPP program is Thursday, Feb. 28. Learn more here.