The Greenup County Health Department plans to use a grant from the foundation at Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital to launch a diabetes education program. Paul Hunt is the department’s public health services coordinator.
He says the initiative begins in July and is a partnership with the Greenup County Farmer’s Market and Cooperative Extension Service. Hunt says the newly-formed Diabetes Today Coalition will offer weekly sessions during the month on meal planning, nutrition education and exercise.
The Ashland-Huntington-Portsmouth region is often cited as among the nation’s leaders for high rates of heart disease and diabetes. Hunt says it’s a question of changing behaviors.
“It’s basically just the way the people in this area live. It has been handed (to) them from their parents who got it from their parents. It’s just healthy lifestyle choices versus unhealthy lifestyle choices. Smoking is still very prevalent here. High fat foods are still very, very popular.” –Paul Hunt
Hunt says the educational sessions are an attempt to change that. He says participants will learn how to prepare healthier meals at home and receive a diabetic cookbook.
