NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme

[Nothungrycat]

I've just been referred to this, and I wondered if anyone else had gone through it and whether it had helped? I've had my blood sugar levels monitored for years, as I've got hypertension and am overweight, and last February they had gone up to a level categorised as pre-diabetic. Why it's taken 10 months for my local surgery to refer me to this programme, I don't know, but I've just signed up and will be starting in the New Year, with a one-to-one session next week. I feel rather nervous about what to expect!

My mum did this. All they really do is teach you about foods and sugar levels.

This link to an Essex GP surgery resources for pre and type 2 diabetes might be of use.
https://lowcarbfreshwell.com
It’s been a long while since I did group education sessions, but there was always quite a massive waiting list, so that may be why it’s been a while until you heard something.

DH is under one at our GP practice, basically he just gets a visit to discuss blood results once a year face to face. He reversed pre diabetes a few years ago now, but they continue to screen him. Same with my Asthma nurse in the Asthma clinic, she sees me once a year. I think they get extra funds for having these clinic set ups. It seems to be the actual Nurse that decides who gets put in these lists.

This course seems to involve 14 in-person group sessions over 9 months, so quite a big commitment from both them (and me!) I also reversed pre-diabetes about 8 years ago, through a really tough diet, but a lot of the weight has sadly crept back on. I'm hoping that the course gives me some better habits and motivation.

Hi @Nothungrycat , I've just asked this question over in the Diabetes chat and then spotted your thread. If you've started the programme now, how are you finding it?

Still on it, 6 months in! Doing it in person has been quite a commitment, but I've stuck at it (with a couple of catch-up sessions online). A lot of the content around food choices and nutrition was stuff I already knew (but wasn't always practicing), but there has been some really useful learning about stress and sleep and actually about the science around diabetes, and it's made me think a lot more about why I want to stay healthy. I have lost weight overall, and having to report on that (privately) at the start of each session has really kept me on point. The course I'm doing is run by a private company on behalf of the NHS, and some elements - like the Healthier You Activity Book - are quite simplistic and some of the sessions can be irritating as the group leader is trying to manage people with different personalities and needs. So, not perfect, but worth doing, I think!

Congratulations on making changes - it’s really hard to make changes but it’s so good for your health long term

do you feel any benefits yet? Obviously you can measure weight changes but do you feel better yet ?

@backformoreofthesame I travelled the ‘lose weight and go low carb’ route when I was diagnosed asymptomatic type 2 diabetes - if you don’t have symptoms in the first place, you don’t actually feel any different other than being somewhat lighter & liking how you look in photos! Perhaps I’m unusual though…

I was diagnosed with pre diabetes a few years back and offered the course. I started it but then COVID hit and it moved to a phone group. Not even Zoom but over the phone. It was a very frustrating method of holding it so I gave up.

I did shed some weight though and reversed it.

I'm a (mental health) nurse and already had a good understanding so I was already aware of a lot of the content but I think it's good for those with little knowledge of health in general and diabetes in particular.

I did this, and a friend ours started one after me. We both agreed, there's a lot of chatting but it's all interesting.

My levels weren't particularly high, but just making a few adjustments and better decisions food wise helped (I'll honest I still eat a few things that aren't perfect but overall less carbs and immediate release sugars). Also increased exercise (and actually feel pretty good physically two years on), and incorporated mindfulness/breathing exercises. First year my reading was down to 40, this year 37 which I'm well pleased with.

ExDP did this except it was online. It seemed excellent to me and they sent him a really good cookery book (for free) too. Unfortunately he took no notice because he is entitled and thought he was too special to get diabetes. Very strange behaviour. Needless to say he now has diabetes.

I did this course a couple of years ago. But did it all on line. I felt that the articles and reading modules were informative. The person who was monitoring me was over enthusiastic and trying to motivate and be positive which I found a bit annoying. But overall it was a positive experience and I picked up better ways of eating. Logging what I ate was very useful

To add to this. I didn’t do group sessions. Just felt people would all be so different and from such different backgrounds and lifestyles that I couldn’t see how it would work (for me).

I'd say go for it, having done it twice. The first one was curtailed after a few sessions because of Covid, and a couple of years later I did one again. I got a lot out of it.

Very useful, and it isn't only about eating habits, there's a lot more to it than that.

I did one online. I too got a really good cookery book and some scales (to weigh me, not my food!) for free. It was run by a private business on behalf of the NHS.

It was far better than I'd expected. It was definitely not just about eating less, losing weight etc; we all know that! It also covered emotional aspects of eating, healthy sleep patterns, why weight loss plateaus and how to avoid discouragement over this, how to maintain weight loss longer term and more besides.

There were community chat boards which I largely found a bit meh but clearly there were regular posters who found them very useful, and they did enhance the "helpful community" feel.

I wouldn't have gone to in-person meetings, but I thought the online offering was well worth doing. Even for those (like me!) who think they know it all about diabetes!

I remember my mum went a thing called Desmond (gawd knows if that's an acronym, it must be) and yeah they just tell you about diet and exercise and healthy lifestyle. Give you sheets etc. This was when she was first diagnosed with pre diabetes.

I think some of the stuff they gave her was wrong though. They recommended baked beans which are full of sugar. I think now they encourage lower carb eating.

Just to add - I was really p'd off with having developed prediabetes as my BMI was firmly within "healthy" limits and I thought my diet wasn't bad. But my course didn't make assumptions about me or my habits, which was v useful.

I also got a glucose monitor for a fortnight and that was a real eye-opener. My eating habits have changed a lot, I lost some more weight (I'm still within "healthy" limits, just lighter and more muscly!) and I've kept the weight off.

Baked beans are a Low Glycaemic index food because they contain protein and fibre which reduces the net carbs so they are a good pick for diabetes.

I thought not because of sugar? Wouldn't they recommend the no added sugar ones? Beans in general are great but I thought refined carbs/sugar were really bad for diabetes?

Baked beans are Haricot beans which contain a lot of soluble fibre. When you’re looking at carbs it’s ‘net’ carbs that are important but they aren’t actually shown on the label you have to do a bit of a calculation or look it up online. Basically foods that contain a lot of fibre and protein slow your digestion which means that you can better process the sugar over a longer time so it reduces the glucose effect and spike. Added benefit that legumes linger in your system in a way that slows your digestion for the next meal too so if you have beans for lunch then your glucose will be processed better at dinner time too.

The no added sugar version will be better but actually the normal Heinz baked beans have a GI score of 40 and anything under 55 is considered low GI.

when I was diagnosed with T2 in Aug 2024 I started wearing a freestyle Libre CGM and watching the results of various foods is fascinating. I can’t eat potatoes, they just have a terrible effect on my sugar. It is lessened though if I break down the starch first by cooking, cooling and reheating, I also occasionally treat myself to air fried potato peels which are delicious crunchy little buggers and because the skin contains more fibre than the flesh has less effect on my levels. I also can’t eat long grain rice but can eat basmati, it’s a big experiment to figure out what you can tolerate.

Such helpful thoughtful posts .