Programs aims to prevent Type 2 diabetes

St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund is encouraging all professional drivers at risk for diabetes to take part in its Driving Down Diabetes program beginning on July 11.

The program consists of two diabetes-prevention options, and both are free. All professional drivers at risk for Type 2 diabetes are eligible to participate.

Live webinars, a lifestyle coach, and tools for tracking such as a scale, blood pressure cuff and activity tracker are some of what is offered to participant. Both options include a CDC-approved curriculum.

“One out of three people are actually pre-diabetic, and eight out of 10 of those people don’t realize it” Julie Dillon, St. Christopher Fund’s health and wellness manager, told Land Line Now recently. “If you’re standing in a room and talking to two other people, odds are one of the three of you are pre-diabetic.

According to the CDC, people with prediabetes who take part in a structured lifestyle change program can cut the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 58%.

Risk factors for diabetes include being overweight, poor health, stressful job, poor eating habits, time away from home and aging.

A statistical chart from True Life Care says while 7-10% of the United States population are believed to be diabetic, that number jumps to 14% among long-haul drivers. In addition, 69% of drivers are obese and 25% are over the age of 54.

Irritability, lack of coordination, profuse sweating, blurry vision and shaky hands are among the warning signs of diabetes. If you experience any of these symptoms, or just want to improve your lifestyle, visit the St. Christopher Fund’s website to take the assessment and find out which Driving Down Diabetes program is right for you.

“You definitely want to look at this risk assessment and decide if this is something you want to move forward with,” Dillon said. “If a driver’s blood sugar is extremely high during their DOT physical, they can actually be taken off the road to prevent any accidents. If you’re taken off the road, then obviously you aren’t making any money. We don’t want that to happen and we don’t want someone’s health to be at risk either. We want to see drivers take the initiative to figure out if they are at risk and what they can do to get that risk down.”

The diabetes prevention programs are sponsored by Southern Recipe.

For more information about Driving Down Diabetes visit the St. Christopher Fund website. LL