Mon Health Medical Center offering free diabetes prevention education series

Mon Health Medical Center's Diabetes Learning Center is offering a free series of National Diabetes Prevention Progam classes beginning in September.

To qualify for the program, a person must be at high risk for developing diabetes or have been diagnosed by a physician as someone with prediabetes.

A combination of factors increase an individual's risk of type 2 diabetes, including:

• Family history
• Obesity or being overweight
• Age 65 or older
• Gestational diabetes
• Inactivity

"Research shows that modest lifestyle changes can lead to losing 5-7 percent of weight and maintaining that loss can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent," said Andrea McCarty, MS, RDN, LD, CDE, diabetes education coordinator at Mon Health Medical Center.

Learn more at an informational session on Thursday, Sept. 6, at 11 a.m. at Mon Health Medical Center Hazel Ruby McQuain Conference Center, Mylan Room.

The next series of classes will begin Sept. 13. While the informational session and program are free, pre-registration is required by calling 304-598-1805.