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About the National Diabetes Prevention Program 

The National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is a year-long lifestyle change program designed to help you eat healthy, add physical activity to your routine, manage stress, and stay motivated to achieve moderate weight loss. This program includes: 

  • Lessons, handouts and other resources to help you make healthy changes.

  • A specially trained lifestyle coach to provide education, motivation and engagement. 

  • A support group of people with similar goals and challenges to share ideas, celebrate successes and work to overcome obstacles. 

Cari's Story (124.78 KB) .pdf

Greg's Story (716.71 KB) .pdf

This program is an evidence-based program and has undergone clinical trials. The original study showed participants of lifestyle change reduce their risk for prediabetes by 58%. The risk reduction is even greater (71%) for individuals 65 years and older.

What is Prediabetes 

Prediabetes is a health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. It often develops without noticeable symptoms, which means many people don’t know they have it. In fact, about 1-in-3 adults has prediabetes and most are unaware. The good news is that prediabetes can often be reversed. Knowing your risk is the first step toward making small, meaningful changes that can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and improve overall health. This quiz is intended to inform and educate you on risk factors that could lead to prediabetes and is not a diagnostic tool. Only your doctor can diagnose prediabetes. 

Risk factors for prediabetes include:  

  • Overweight. 

  • Age 45 or older. 

  • Have a parent, brother or sister with type 2 diabetes. 

  • Are physically active less than three times a week. 

  • Have a history of gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or giving birth to a baby weighing more than nine pounds. 

  • Are an African American, Hispanic or Latino American, American Indian or Alaskan Native person (some Pacific Islander people and Asian American people also have a higher risk). 

Learn more at What is pre-diabetes?

Take the Prediabetes Risk Quiz

Take the Prediabetes Screening Test.

Print versions of this test are available in the following languages: 

Arabic | Bengali | Chinese (Simplified) | Chinese (Traditional) | French | Haitian Creole | Italian | Japanese | Korean | Polish | Urdu | Yiddish

Connect to a NDPP Program

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About Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support

Diabetes Self-Management Education & Support

Whether you are newly diagnosed with diabetes or have been living with it for years, diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) can provide you with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to handle daily care of your condition and improve your overall quality of life. 

With personalized and group coaching options, you will work with your diabetes care team and an education specialist to create a plan to help you: 

  • Improve your hemoglobin A1C, blood pressure and cholesterol.
  • Have fewer or less severe diabetes complications.
  • Save money on healthcare costs.
  • Reduce the need for emergency care.
  • Stay on track with your treatment plan and prescriptions.
  • Learn practical tips for eating healthy, being active and solving problems.
  • Handle the emotional side of diabetes. 

Ask your doctor for a referral to a DSMES program to get help managing your diabetes.

Find a DSMES program close to you.

DSMES for Healthcare Providers

While DSMES is highly effective in improving health and diabetes management skills, less than 7% of eligible patients participate within the first year of diagnosis, according to the CDC. Healthcare providers like you are the best way to increase access to these essential services. 

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About Chronic Disease Self-Management (Better Choices, Better Health) Program

Chronic Disease Self-Management (Better Choices, Better Health) Program

Diabetes can affect nearly every aspect of a person’s life and often accompanies other serious conditions. The chronic disease self-management program (CDSMP), known in Iowa as Better Choices, Better Health, supports adults living with various chronic conditions through an evidence-based approach. 

Better Choices, Better Health focuses on:

  • Teaching disease management skills.
  • Building confidence.
  • Improving physical and psychological well-being.

Groups range in size from 8 to 16 participants and meet for two hours a week for six weeks. Activities include:

  • Interactive discussions, brainstorming, action-planning and feedback, behavior modeling, problem-solving techniques, and decision-making.
  • Symptom management activities include exercise, relaxation, communication, healthy eating, medication management, and managing fatigue. 

Ask your doctor how to locate a Better Choices, Better Health program near you. 

If you are an established site and want to host another workshop, please fill out this authorization form (157.67 KB) .pdf .

Chronic Disease Self-Management for Healthcare Providers

Studies show that people who participate in chronic disease self-management programs like Better Choices, Better Health significantly improve and maintain healthy behaviors, lowering their risks for further complications. 

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Connect with Programming 

 Self-referrals to programming and social need services (such as transportation, food assistance, etc.) can be completed through Iowa Community HUB

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Volunteer or Start a Program

Looking for an opportunity to help your community? Fill out the interest form and a member from the Diabetes Prevention & Management team will be in touch with you. Filling out this form does not create any obligation and is purely to connect you with additional information. 

Lifestyle Coach or Peer Leader Interest Form

Meet Kara - a National Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Coach 

Meet Karla - a Better Choices, Better Health Peer Leader 

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Program Provider Resources - NDPP 

Program Provider Resources - DSMES

*Coming soon 

Program Provider Resources - BCBH

*Coming soon

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Employer Resources 

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