Insurance Brokers and Consultants
Below you will find information about the importance of type 2 diabetes prevention. This information includes resources and testimonials you can use to talk to your clients about preventing type 2 diabetes by offering the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) lifestyle change program as an employee benefit.
Type 2 diabetes is common, costly, and preventable.
More than 37 million Americans—nearly 1 in 10—have diabetes. This number has more than doubled over the last 20 years. In addition, more than 1 in 3 US adults has prediabetes, a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough for a diabetes diagnosis.
The National DPP lifestyle change program helps people who are at risk prevent or delay type 2 diabetes, which lowers their risk of other serious health problems, such as heart disease and stroke.
The cost of diabetes is staggering.
The National DPP lifestyle change program follows a yearlong evidence-based curriculum and is led by a trained Lifestyle Coach. Participants learn new skills, set goals, and receive group support. Those who lose 5% to 7% of their body weight and add 150 minutes of exercise per week can reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 58% (71% for people 60 or older).
By encouraging your clients to offer the National DPP as a covered benefit, you can help them:
Increase employee productivity
by reducing absenteeism and increasing engagement in preventative care
Manage costs
through lower health care spending and smaller premium increases
Improve employee engagement and satisfaction
by offering a program with proven health benefits
You can talk to your clients about the National DPP lifestyle change programby using the following resources:
See what employers are saying about their success with the National DPP:
“We are a large, self-funded organization, and our health claims were beginning to increase significantly. By putting into action the lifestyle change program, we saw a positive effect on our employees’ health and a cost-effective approach to reducing future medical claims. Because of the National DPP success, our health care providers requested us to expand the National DPP to our patients and the community. The program has helped us meet both our mission—to improve the health of the communities that we serve—and our business goals.”
—Diane Schuh is a supervisor of lifestyle medicine at ThedaCare. The organization serves a community health system in Wisconsin with approximately 6,800 employees.
“We have been building employer partnerships to help bring the National DPP to more companies in our state. A recent collaboration between a surgical parts manufacturer, a regional hospital, and the YMCA enabled employees to participate in the National DPP even during the COVID-19 pandemic. By building communities of employers, employees, and National DPP providers, we have seen tremendous support for each other, which has been critical to reducing type 2 diabetes in our state.”
—Teirra Riggs, ABD, MS, is a diabetes prevention coordinator at the Indiana Department of Health who works with more than 30 Indiana-based companies to offer the National DPP lifestyle change program.
“Most people who complete the program with us meet the weight loss goal of 5-7% of their starting body weight, increase daily physical activity, and improve cardiovascular fitness. We have even had the privilege of witnessing one client lose over 120 pounds by completing the program twice.”
— Bradley J. Kendall, PhD, CSCS, Invitation Health and Wellness Program co-director at Taylor University in rural Upland, Indiana, works with local organizations to implement the National DPP lifestyle change program.
Learn more about offering the National DPP lifestyle change program from organizations that have had success, including The Dow Chemical Company, Latham & Watkins, and Iron Mountain.
See what participants are saying about their success with the National DPP lifestyle change program:
Mike’s Prediabetes Journey: Taking Control of Prediabetes
Mike Jones, a retired police officer, joined the CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program and found support to make healthy lifestyle changes and reverse his diagnosis of prediabetes.
“The motivation for me is to watch my children grow and be here for them. And that starts with taking care of myself and my body.”
Suzi Gomez, 53, Program Participant
Suzi is at risk for type 2 diabetes and describes how the National Diabetes Prevention Program has helped her stay healthy.
“I prevent type 2 diabetes so I can keep traveling, taking pictures, and enjoying my family for the rest of my life.”
Sources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2022. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services; 2022.
American Diabetes Association. Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2017. Diabetes Care 2018;41(5):917-928. Available from http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/41/5/917.