A 76-year-old retired lorry driver from Rochdale lost five stones on a type 2 diabetes prevention programme, proving you are never too old to make positive changes to your health.
John also saw his risk of developing the condition massively reduced and his waistline plummet from 48-inches to 36-inches.
Great-grandfather John is telling his story to inspire others during Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week, which runs from May 26-June 1.
“Make it fun,” said John, who achieved his weight loss within 12 months. “Don’t make it feel like a punishment.
“I would go for a walk in the park and listen to music on my headphones. I’ve made a lot of friends on my walks who I speak to every day.”
John was invited to join the NHS type 2 diabetes prevention programme, called Healthier You, after his annual blood test showed he was at risk of developing the condition.
He joined a face-to-face prevention meeting in Rochdale with other participants and learned about diabetes and what steps were needed to reduce the risk of developing it. John said being in a group made the programme easier, with everyone supporting each other.
As well as the changes to his weight, he saw his HbA1c blood glucose level, which indicates whether you are at risk of diabetes, drop from 46 to 37. Below 42 is considered to be within normal range.
John, who is married and has three children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, said: “For quite some time I thought about my declining health, so I embraced the opportunity to join the prevention programme wholeheartedly.
“I wanted to make sure if anything happened to someone in my family I could be there for them.”
Dr James Hider, a GP in Trafford who is the diabetes prevention clinical lead for NHS Greater Manchester, said: “There are many people in Manchester just like John, aware they have a potential health problem they really need to tackle and can make small changes to their lifestyle to deliver big improvements over time.
“There are many more patients who feel well and will be unaware that they are at high risk of diabetes – these people need to engage with some of the health promotion options on offer that will prevent progression towards diabetes. It is never too late to start.”
John’s tips for reducing your risk of diabetes:
- Make it fun – go for a walk and listen to music
- Replace unhealthy foods – have porridge instead of sugary cereals or snacks
- Do what you can – if you can’t get around easy, try exercises in bed and around the house
- Create a daily routine – get up earlier and start your exercises after breakfast
- Join the Healthier You programme – encourage each other
- Persevere – don’t worry, your health will improve if you keep at it
- Make it sustainable – continue with your changes once the programme ends
More information
Around 144,000 people in Greater Manchester are pre-diabetic, which means their blood sugar levels are above normal but not yet high enough to be classified as Type 2 Diabetes – and so could benefit from going on the Healthier You programme.
Since 2019, 33,875 people have started the Healthier You programme in Greater Manchester.
If you would like to find out more about the NHS programme visit Healthier You.
