Empowering Healthy Behaviors
by Muscatine Diabetes Project
November 15, 2019

By Kim Seligman, Muscatine Diabetes Project Co-FounderĀ 

What is Your Hope for the Future if You Are Able to Become Healthier?

This is a question that we do not ask ourselves until we are faced with a life-threatening diagnosis. We all essentially have two minds, one that thinks and one that feels. Influencing the thinking mind leads to changes in knowledge and skills, and influencing the emotional mind leads to change in attitudes and habits. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and the non-profit organization, Muscatine Diabetes Project, and the 2019-2021 Muscatine County Empowering Healthy Behaviors Initiative (MCEHBI) invite you to make your mark on diabetes awareness and take the diabetes risk assessment test.

The seven-question test takes one-minute to complete, and if you score five or higher you are at increased risk for having prediabetes and are at high risk for developing Type Two Diabetes. ā€œAccording to the 2018 Community Health Assessment, the obesity prevalence in Muscatine County is 49.2% and diabetes prevalence is 17.9%, with Iowaā€™s obesity prevalence at 32% and diabetes prevalence at 9.3%.ā€Ā 

How Would You Like Your Health to be Different if You Score is Five or Higher?

The First Step is to contact your primary care provider to see if additional testing is needed. If you do not have a primary care provider, you are encouraged to contact Trinity Muscatine Public Health at (563)-263-0122 and ask to speak with the Diabetes Care Coordinator. In Muscatine County, the following diabetes support services are available:

  • Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is a fee-based program recognized by the Center for Disease Control to reduce your risk for developing diabetes. Emphasis is on developing your own plan for physical activity and weight control in a group setting. A certified lifestyle coach leads the classes. The DPP course has two components, a sixteen-week intensive behavior change followed with six-months of ongoing education and a support network.
  • Ā·Diabetes Self-Management Education is a physician referral, fee-based program, accredited by the American Diabetes Association. Education is personalized for you with a knowledgeable educator. Ten hours of education is authorized by insurances for the initial year of diagnosis with annual education hours available. Topics include healthy eating options, connecting with support, reducing risks from complications, and getting the most out of glucose monitoring. Coinsurance and deductibles will apply.
  • Ā·Medical Nutrition Therapy is a physician referral, fee-based service provided by a registered dietitian to persons diagnosed with diabetes or renal disease to help with personalized behavioral changes for each individual.
  • Ā·Adult Diabetes Support Group meetings are held the second Tuesday evening of the month from 6:00-7:00 pm at the Hy-Vee Club Room (2400 Second Avenue, Muscatine). The Hy-Vee registered dietitian is a resource for this group as well.

Recent Stories

Recent Shows

Get Discover Muscatine in Your Inbox

Select list(s):
en_USEnglish