Carson Tahoe Diabetes Prevention Program “Small Steps. Big Rewards.” Achieves CDC Full Recognition

An estimated 84.1 million adults ages 18 years or older (33.9 percent of U.S. adults) have pre-diabetes and an even greater estimated 30.3 million people have diabetes. Carson Tahoe Health works to do its part in helping fight this epidemic by offering several diabetes education and prevention programs. Its Small Steps. Big Rewards. diabetes prevention program recently earned the prestigious Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “Full Recognition.” This designation is reserved for programs that have proven to be effective in consistently delivering a quality, evidence-based program, which meets all the standards dictated by the CDC.

Small Steps. Big Rewards. is structured over one year and seeks to help participants make real lifestyle changes. These changes include eating healthier, exercising or focusing on physical activity, as well as improving problem-solving and coping skills. Sessions are facilitated by a trained lifestyle coach and include others that want to make lifestyle changes as well. Each week for the first six months, the group will meet to celebrate accomplishments, discuss strategies and overcome hurdles. Sessions are scheduled monthly for the remaining six months to encourage and support continuing the positive changes when the program ends.

Additionally, Small Steps. Big Rewards. has proven to cut participant’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent.

Before recently attaining the CDC’s full recognition, Small Steps. Big Rewards. had earned its preliminary recognition. The process for obtaining full recognition included:

• Providing at least 3-year long class sessions.
• Proving attendance by participants met at least 60 percent of all sessions provided.
• Showing average weight loss by all participants maintained at 5 percent by the end of the year-long session.
• Concluding 50 percent of all participants were referred by a physician and properly qualified for the program with their blood glucose or A1C level.
• Concluding 50 percent of all participants were self-referred and qualified based on various risk factors or by taking the pre-diabetes screening survey.

“We are so grateful for this elite recognition and to be able to offer meaningful wellness services to our community,” said Mina Fiddyment, Manager of Carson Tahoe’s Health & Wellness Institute. “Small Steps. Big Rewards. focuses on prevention and truly creating positive change within people’s lives, which is just one step in fighting against the blight of type 2 diabetes.”

To learn more the Small Steps. Big Rewards. Diabetes prevention program or other Carson Tahoe diabetes services, visit CarsonTahoe.com/Wellness and click the “Diabetes & Prevention” tab.