District 4 is committed to helping our community have long, healthy lives. Through our Community Health Assessment (CHA), we have identified pervasive health concerns that affect our district, and we are coordinating a coalition that will take action to address them. The Alliance for Community Transformation (A.C.T.) is a community collaborative made up of stakeholders from District 4 Health that seek to promote a thriving culture of health across the district. The group meets quarterly on a virtual platform. Please email Miranda Helms to be added to the A.C.T. newsletter.
We have established that the district’s top priorities are to increase access to health care and address obesity-related chronic diseases. Read more in our Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).
Diabetes Prevention Program
Type 2 diabetes is caused by either a lack of insulin or the body’s inability to use insulin efficiently, which leads to high blood glucose levels. More than 70 million Americans don’t realize they have prediabetes, and without taking action, they are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes within 5 years.
District 4 offers the National Diabetes Prevention Program, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is proven to help people with prediabetes prevent or delay development of type 2 diabetes. As part of the group, you will work with other participants and a trained lifestyle coach to learn the skills you need to make lasting changes. These changes include losing a modest amount of weight, being more physically active, and managing stress. This program is currently being offered at no cost to eligible participants!
Program Features
• Trained lifestyle coach
• CDC-approved curriculum
• Group support
• Year-long program — weekly for 6 months, then 1–2 times a month
One of the easiest ways to find out if you quality for this program is to Take The Test | Prediabetes | CDC. Save your results to share with us.
For enrollment information contact one of our diabetes prevention program locations:
Increasing Health in All Policies
Health in All Policies (HiAP) is a collaborative approach that integrates and articulates health considerations into policymaking across sectors to improve the health of all communities and people. District 4 Public Health is taking on the HiAP approach to achieve the National Prevention Strategy, Healthy People 2020 and Community Health Improvement Plan goals and enhance the potential for improved health outcomes within the counties we serve. We are a proud participant of the Georgia Working on Health Network which seeks to develop a wellness network and encourage worksites to pledge to adopt and implement policies. These policies may be related to nutrition, physical activity, breastfeeding, or tobacco free living. We are currently providing education and resources to support businesses and community organizations in developing or adopting health policies. To receive more information email Miranda Helms.
Preventing Chronic Diseases
We encourage healthy habits to help prevent the development of obesity-related chronic conditions, like heart disease and stroke, cancer and diabetes. Chronic diseases affect 6 in 10 Americans and have become the leading causes of death, disability and rising health care costs. By making healthy everyday changes to your lifestyle, you can prevent conditions such as high blood pressure or obesity, which raise your risk of developing the most common and serious chronic diseases.
How You Can Prevent Chronic Disease:
- Quit Smoking
Stopping smoking (or never starting) lowers the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and lung disease, as well as premature death—even for longtime smokers. Take the first step and call 1-800-QUIT-NOW for FREE support.
- Eat Healthy
Eating healthy helps prevent, delay and manage heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases. A balanced diet of fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy products is important at any age. If you are overweight, losing even 5% to 7% of your body weight can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
- Get regular physical activity
Regular physical activity can help you prevent, delay or manage chronic diseases. Aim for moderate physical activity (like brisk walking or gardening) for at least 150 minutes a week.
- Avoid drinking too much alcohol
Over time, excessive drinking can lead to high blood pressure, various cancers, heart disease, stroke and liver disease. By reducing alcohol intake, you can reduce these health risks.
- Get screened
To prevent chronic diseases or catch them early, visit a District 4 clinic for screening services and physical exams.
- Get enough sleep
Insufficient sleep has been linked to the development and poor management of diabetes, heart disease, obesity and depression. Adults should get at least 7 hours of sleep daily.
- Know your family history
If you have a family history of a chronic disease, like cancer, heart disease, diabetes or osteoporosis, you may be more likely to develop that disease yourself. Share your family health history with your doctor, who can help you take steps to prevent these conditions or catch them early.