Londoner: Fighting Diabetes

Below is a recent segment in the Londoner featuring my Masters thesis research project piloting a program to help people living with prediabetes in London, Ontario.
Jennifer Broxterman, MSc (candidate)
Registered Dietitian & Sports Nutritionist
London, Ontario

Fighting diabetes

By Shobhita Sharma Londoner

A new program in London is helping prediabetics prepare to fight and beat the disease.

Prediabetes Research and Education Promoting Activity and Responsible Eating (PREPARE) started in May 2011 at Brescia University College.

“We are helping them to make healthy lifestyle change and providing them support,” said Isabelle Giroux, an associate professor at Brescia University College who leads PREPARE.

Giroux started a similar program in 2007 where prediabetics were offered a one-time information session on how to stay healthy. But, because of high demand and the help ofa $150,000 funding by The Lawson Foundation, the program was expanded.

Now, this one-of-a-kind program gives participants a choice of attending a single standard information session or attend six monthly education sessions, a post-program assessment and a six-month follow-up in addition to the basic information session.

There is also a research component to PREPARE that measures the effectiveness of the six month program. PREPARE is seeing also participation from Brescia University College students both undergraduate and graduate levels.

“We’re hoping that we will show that (the six month lifestyle intervention program) is cost effective (in terms of long-term medical care),” Giroux said. “Hopefully we are helping people modify their lifestyle in a positive way to help reduce their risk of developing Type II diabetes or delaying the development of diabetes.”

PREPARE is a collaborative effort between Brescia University College, The Diabetes Education Centre of St. Joseph’s Hospital, The Canadian Diabetes Association – Southwest Ontario Regional Leadership Centre and the Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging at the University of Western Ontario.

“We know that there are more people out there than what our health care system is able to help and reach,” Giroux said. “We think (educating the public) will be hard to do without one another.”

The program is open to anyone over 30 years of age, diagnosed as prediabetics and referred by a doctor to the Diabetes Education Centre (DEC) at St. Joseph’s Health Care.

“We’re proactive and we are trying to look after this group with the limited resources we have in our health care system,” said Pam Colby who is a diabetes educator at DEC at St. Joseph’s Health Care and started working with Giroux in 2007. “It’s a win-win situation in terms of both looking at the needs of the individual and also the obligation of the diabetes centre to try to help out.”

PREPARE participants meet once a month on campus where they discuss physical activity goals and healthy eating goals. In fact, Giroux said PREPARE is the only program in Canada for prediabetic patients that focuses on both physical activity and diet.

In addition to monthly assessments and support from registered dietitians, participants are invited to join walking groups and even attend cooking workshops developed by registered dietitians.

It’s all about applicability,” said Jennifer Broxterman who is doing her master’s thesis on the program and also leads the healthy cooking classes that are offered through PREPARE. “Instead of giving them high level information, we try to translate it into day to day change.”

A registered dietitian and a sports nutritionist practicing in the city, Broxterman said the PREPARE supports a group of people who battle with a conditions that more often than not “falls through the cracks.”

“But we have an awesome net at Brescia,” Broxterman said.

Fran Smith*, a Londoner who was diagnosed with prediabetes about a year ago, is one of the participants who said she is thankful for the efforts by the PREPARE team.

“It’s wonderful,” she said at a session last Friday. ” Everything is explained so well (at the sessions).”

With a new year on its way, PREPARE is getting ready to extend the program to more Londoners.

For more information about PREPARE, visit www.brescia.uwo.ca/prediabetes_initiative/ or contact Isabelle Giroux at 519-432-8353 X 28255.

Shobhita.sharma@sunmedia.ca

* Name changed to protect patient’s identity