The YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program is a one-year program that helps you make healthy changes and lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. It is offered in both English and Spanish, and you can join in person or online.

You will work with a trained Lifestyle Coach and a small group of people who have similar goals. Together, you will learn easy ways to improve your health, solve problems and stay motivated.

The program starts with 16 weekly meetings. In these sessions, you will learn about healthy eating, being active, managing stress, solving challenges and building healthy habits that last.

After the first 16 weeks, you will keep meeting during the rest of the year. Meetings happen every other week at first, and then once a month. This helps you stay on track and keep up your progress.

You will work toward two main goals:

• Losing 5% to 7% of your body weight
• Getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week

This program is backed by research from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is provided by hundreds of YMCAs nationwide. It has helped thousands of people with prediabetes make healthy changes and lower their risk of type 2 diabetes by more than 50%.

Complete the enrollment interest form and a member of our Community Health team will contact you to discuss eligibility, answer your questions and help you enroll in an upcoming class.

The program meets for 26 sessions over a year-long period. The first 16 sessions are weekly, the next few sessions are bi-weekly and the last 6 sessions are monthly. Check your calendar to make sure you can commit to attending classes for the full yea. If you attend most of the classes, you'll have better results!

Many participants qualify to enroll at no out-of-pocket cost through their health insurance provider. For those who do not have insurance coverage, self-pay and financial assistance options may be available. And the Denver Y accepts HSA and FSA.

No, you will not be asked to exercise during the session. Instead you will learn different strategies for being active and may be able to try some out during the class session. The main focus of the meeting is to learn new skills, share information with your group members and feel supported in making changes in your habits and routines.

To join the YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program, you must meet all of these basic requirements:

• Be 18 years old or older
• Not be pregnant
• Have a body mass index of 25 or higher (or 23 or higher for Asian individuals)
• Not have type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes or end-stage kidney disease (ESRD)

You must also meet at least ONE of the following:

• A risk score of 9 or higher from a health risk test
• A blood test result that shows prediabetes or a diagnosis of prediabetes in the past year
• A1C level between 5.7% and 6.4%
• Fasting blood sugar between 100–125 mg/dL (for Medicare, 110–125 mg/dL)
• 2-hour blood sugar test between 140–199 mg/dL
• A past diagnosis of gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)

*Medicare participants must have a qualifying blood test result to join the program.

Need help? Contact Us: 
communityhealth@denverymca.org
720 524 2747

¿Necesita ayuda? Contáctenos:
communityhealth@denverymca.org
720 680 2993

No. YMCA membership is not required to enroll in the Diabetes Prevention Program.

No, this is a prevention program, designed for people at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and need Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES), check the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment DSMES Toolkit for accredited local education providers.

The Y offers many other ways to support your health and wellness.

If you have high blood pressure, our Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program can help. This 4-month program teaches you about high blood pressure, healthy eating and how to check your blood pressure at home.

A Y membership also gives you access to workout equipment, group fitness classes and a welcoming community to help you stay active and connected.

Looking for more personal support? Members and non-members can work one-on-one with a Personal Trainer or Health Coach to get help reaching their health goals.