Jackson County Health Offficials Offer Diabetes Prevention – My Panhandle

MARIANNA, Fla. -

On the heels of 'Diabetes Alert Day' next Tuesday, Jackson County Health officials want to make residents more aware of the diabetes epidemic facing this nation.

The Florida Department of Health in Jackson County and the county's University of Florida Extension Office are offering free diabetes prevention classes at the Jackson County Library in Marianna.

"We're at about a 50 percent for individuals diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes," said Jackson County FDOH Senior Human Services Program Specialist, Mary Gurganus.

Lifestyle coaches Marie Arick and Mary Gurganus started the 'Type Two Diabetes Prevention' program a month ago.

Some of the program's goals include increasing physical fitness recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

"The program goals are to lose five to seven percent of your current body weight to achieve a healthier weight and then to increase physical activity," said Gurganus.

"It worked to our benefit for us to be able to partner so that we would always have someone available to be able to support these people that come in to the community to participate," added Arick.

The year-long session also includes dietary tips.

"Those small lessons have a huge impact. And if you go home and you apply just a portion of each lesson, you gain a great benefit," said Arick.

"We want everyone to be able to sustain the lifestyle changes that they've chose for continued success," said Gurganus.

Both lifestyle coaches said the partnership will better serve the county.

"We'd like to keep those rates as low as possible and have those individuals with pre-diabetes not progress to diabetes," said Gurganus.

Arick and Gurganus said the American Diabetes Association awarded them $3,500 in grants towards the program.

Residents can call the UF Extension Office at 850-9620, or the Florida Department of Health in Jackson County at 850-526-2412.

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Jackson County Health Offficials Offer Diabetes Prevention - My Panhandle