By Katherine A. French
Back by popular demand, Penn State Cooperative Extension is offering a low-cost series of classes, “Dining with Diabetes: A Program for Adults with Diabetes and their Families,” to teach those with type 2 diabetes how to manage their disease.
Each class taught by registered dietitian Katherine French and chef Mark Arnold offers important information to help manage diabetes, food demonstrations and tasting, and ideas for increasing physical activity. The series consists of four weekly classes plus one follow-up class two months later. Each participant in the program will receive educational materials, recipes, fitness DVD, pedometer and a stretch band. Two finger-prick lab tests will be offered to measure hemoglobin A1C, lipids, along with measuring blood pressure and waist circumference.
We take these measurements because we want participants to know their health-related numbers. Knowing these numbers is critical in helping them to manage their diabetes.
The cost for the series of classes is $35 for an individual or $50 if the individual decides to bring their significant other or anyone responsible for the meal planning in the household. The fee includes all educational materials, lab tests and food sampling. The program is valued at $120, so the $35 fee is a great bargain!
The upcoming Dining with Diabetes series will be held on Thursdays, April 8, 15, 22 and 29. The series will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at Penn State Cooperative Extension office, 463 North Perry Highway (Rt. 19) in Mercer. For more information and to register for the program, plan to attend an informational meeting at the same location. The informational meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday. To reserve a seat at the informational meeting, please call 724-662-3141 ext. 303.
The “Dining with Diabetes” program is made possible by USDA funding and a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Penn State also partnered with Joslin Diabetes Center, which is affiliated with Harvard Medical School.
Katherine A. French, MS, RD, LDN, is extension educator and registered dietitian with the Mercer County Cooperative Extension.
