Transparency is extremely important to us, so we are letting you know that we may receive a commission on some of links you click on from this page. See our disclaimer.

As well-run workplace wellness programs focus on chronic disease management and prevention — two key elements to improving individuals' health and reducing overall health costs — we have reported on the importance of diabetes lifestyle management.

For example, we reported that following the recent National Diabetes Statistics Report from the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention that “more than 100 million U.S. adults are now living with diabetes or prediabetes,” the American Diabetes Association is “urging renewed attention to and investment in stemming the diabetes epidemic.”

Said the Association’s Chief Scientific, Medical & Mission Officer William T. Cefalu, MD: “Diabetes and prediabetes remain serious threats for more than one-third of Americans―the statistics are staggering. We must continue to innovate in scientific research and to translate findings to the clinical level to decrease the prevalence of diabetes. This data clearly confirms it is critical for us to continue to provide the education and support needed to improve health outcomes and decrease the daily burden of diabetes. We must reduce the incidence of diabetes and its enormous costs, including both the financial costs and the human toll  of lost quality of life and lives, to our communities across the country.”

Or, as The Community Guide advices: “The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends intensive lifestyle interventions for patients with type 2 diabetes to improve glycemic control and reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease.”

The recommendation begins: “Intensive lifestyle interventions provide ongoing counseling, coaching, or individualized guidance to patients with type 2 diabetes to help them change their diet, level of physical activity, or both. Patients must interact with program staff multiple times for a period of six months or longer.”

“Dietary components may include tailored advice, and physical activity components may include structured and personalized guidance or supervised exercise training. Programs may have weight loss goals or include additional components related to weight loss or maintenance.”

“The largest and longest trial to date provided intensive individual and group counseling and extended interpersonal support for dietary changes, regular physical activity, and weight management.”

Many of these actions can be supported through a well-run workplace wellness program.

As the site states: “The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) is an independent, nonfederal, unpaid panel of public health and prevention experts that provides evidence-based findings and recommendations about community preventive services, programs, and policies to improve health. Its members represent a broad range of research, practice, and policy expertise in community preventive services, public health, health promotion, and disease prevention.”

“The fifteen Task Force members are appointed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Task Force members serve five year terms, with possible extensions to maintain a full scope of expertise, complete specific work, and ensure consistency of Task Force recommendations.”