According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly one in 11 Americans have diabetes. An estimated 86 million Americans have prediabetes, putting them at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
FHI 360 provides communication and social marketing support to the CDC on the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP), a public–private partnership aimed at reducing diabetes and the resulting health burden and costs. National DPP offers proven, group-based lifestyle interventions to prevent and reduce type 2 diabetes. The interventions are delivered in communities through organizations such as the YMCA.
These interventions are based on the Diabetes Prevention Program research study that examined the effects of a structured lifestyle change and showed that making modest behavior changes helped participants lose 5 percent to 7 percent of their body weight. These lifestyle changes reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent in people with prediabetes.
FHI 360 is leading a strategic redevelopment of the National DPP website to:
- Increase awareness of prediabetes and the National DPP
- Boost the enrollment of people at risk for type 2 diabetes in a CDC-endorsed lifestyle change program that can cut their risk of type 2 diabetes by more than half
- Expand the number of community-based organizations offering the lifestyle change program
- Increase health care provider referral of at-risk patients to the lifestyle change program
- Mobilize employers and insurers to offer the lifestyle change program as a covered health benefit
- Support the efforts of organizations, state health departments and others that are funded to expand the lifestyle change program in communities
The development of the website builds on FHI 360’s previous efforts with the National DPP, in which we developed and tested a brand identity for the lifestyle change program, created communications materials and provided training and technical assistance to program grantees. In addition, we created two infographics — one on diabetes in the United States and another on prediabetes — that facilitated the CDC’s release of new prevalence and incidence data for diabetes and prediabetes.
