NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- Eighty-eight million adult Americans are on the borderline of developing type 2 diabetes and the majority haven't a clue. Marci Kenon, founder of New York-based Preventive Lifestyle Assistance Network (PLAN) has joined in a collaborative effort with Francheasca Roberson, executive director of California-based nonprofit The Eight, Inc., to break the chains that type 2 diabetes has on members of underserved communities around the country. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams also joins as an ally in the effort.
With November being National Diabetes Prevention Month, their "Check Your Risk" (CYR) Awareness Challenge hopes to encourage one million Americans to answer the one-minute survey of eight questions to assess their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The survey can be found at https://www.checkyourrisk.org/survey.
With many not realizing that type 2 diabetes is not only preventable, but reversible with changes in lifestyle, especially nutrition and exercise, the team is poised to readily assist. Persons whose results indicate that they are at high risk will be invited to a free webinar to learn more about type 2 diabetes.
Kenon's organization, PLAN, focuses exclusively on providing the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP), a preventative agenda helmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to those in need. "With knowledge comes power," says Kenon, who was diagnosed with borderline diabetes in 2012 and attended a six-week diabetes prevention program. "I was stunned to hear my blood sugar was high. I had to practice what I preached to the clients I started to train as a fitness instructor the year I was diagnosed."
For Eric Adams, the Borough President of Brooklyn, NY, the endeavor is also personal. Adams was afflicted by type 2 diabetes at one time, even losing his vision. "There was almost a surrender to the disease until my vision loss," Adams recalls during an interview with the Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine. "That was a wake-up call. If I am going to lose this war on my health, it is not going to be without a battle." Adams conducted research and changed to a whole food, plant-based diet, reversing the symptoms of the disease that nearly robbed him of his driving rights.
The outbreak of the coronavirus has highlighted the pervasiveness of obesity and type 2 diabetes among Black and Brown people around the country. The CDC has warned that type 2 diabetes increases the risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black adults have a higher prevalence of obesity and are more likely to suffer worse outcomes from COVID-19. Racial and ethnic minority groups have historically not had broad opportunities for economic, physical, and emotional health, and these inequities have increased their risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19.
Kenon and Roberson grasp the enormity of the diabetes and obesity problem, and it motivates them to do their part to impact the health and wellness of those who need it most. "There are a lot of resources available to the people we serve but they don't know these resources exist," cites Roberson.
With no end in sight for COVID-19 and the increasing cases of diabetes, the CYR challenge will continue beyond National Diabetes Prevention Month. The team is looking forward to working with Adams whose compelling story gives hope and guidance to concrete ways to prevent and reverse this devastating disease.
In addition to Adams, CYR has early support from the adult ministries department of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists, a Protestant denomination known for its strong emphasis on the importance of living healthfully. Their focus on proper nutrition, exercise, rest, and meditation are all major components of their Eight Principles of Health and in alignment with PLAN's overall approach.
"We look forward to reaching one million Americans," Kenon shares confidently. "Then the goal will be increased to reaching 10 million people. With 88 million lives at stake though, we are only scratching the surface."
Take the "Check Your Risk" Awareness Challenge at: https://www.checkyourrisk.org/survey.
Follow the PLAN on Facebook at: PreventiveLifestyleAssistanceNetwork (https://www.facebook.com/PreventiveLifestyleAssistanceNetwork/ ), Instagram at @taketheoneminutesurvey (https://www.instagram.com/taketheoneminutesurvey/) and on Twitter at @PreventivePlan (https://twitter.com/PreventivePlan).
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Marci Kenon, founder of New York-based Preventive Lifestyle Assistance Network (PLAN) has joined in a collaborative effort with Francheasca Roberson, executive director of California-based nonprofit The Eight, Inc., to break the chains that type 2 diabetes has on members of underserved communities around the country. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams also joins as an ally in the effort.
Related link: https://www.joinplanglobal.com/
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