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This story is part of a series. The WIBC News Special “Beating Diabetes: Sweet Stories from Indiana” will air March 7.

INDIANAPOLIS–You may have pre-diabetes and not even know it. As many as two million Hoosiers could have pre-diabetes or could be at risk for diabetes. The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis is trying to help people at risk by helping them with a lifestyle change.

“We think our rates of actual diabetes diagnosis in Indiana are about 10 or 11 percent. But, nationally we think about one in 10 people with pre-diabetes don’t even know they have it,” said Chelsy Winters, senior director of community health for the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis.

LINK: Info about the pre-diabetes classes

“We sort of think of diabetes as the tip of the iceberg,” she said. The people who have been diagnosed are the small part above the water.

Winters said some of the risk factors for Type II diabetes are family history (which no one can help) being overweight, and not enough physical activity. The recommended physical activity for an adult is 150 minutes per week of moderate intensive activity, like going on a brisk walk.

“The two goals of the program for our participants are to lose five to seven percent of their starting weight and to increase their physical activity to where they’re meeting 150 minutes a week,” said Winters.

Audio titled CHELSEA WINTERS PRE DIABETES INTERVIEW by 93WIBC

The classes don’t include the physical activity, but are a group meeting. They start weekly and eventually end with monthly meetings. The classes are for an entire year, she said.

“We consider it really a lifestyle change. Because if we meet those markers in class, but our participants gain weight again after, we’re still not helping them reduce their risks.”

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