University of California, Santa Cruz is proud to have been recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the success of the UCSC Diabetes Prevention Program.
Our next cohort details will tentatively begin January 2026.
Did you know that one in three Americans has a condition called prediabetes—and 80% of them don’t know it?
Prediabetes is a serious health condition that not only puts you at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, but also for heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, Alzheimer’s disease, and more. Several health factors can increase your risk of developing prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes including having family history, high blood pressure, high BMI, and a sedentary lifestyle.
UC Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is a 1-year lifestyle change program that follows the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Diabetes Prevention Program. DPP is designed for non-diabetic individuals who have prediabetes or are at risk for Type 2 Diabetes. The program provides the education and tools necessary to help individuals reach their health goals. All 10 University of California campuses have a UC DPP and the program is a free on-campus resource for UC faculty, staff, and their families.
If you have prediabetes, the UC DPP lifestyle change program is one of the most effective ways to prevent Type 2 diabetes. In this year long program, you will build new habits, learn new skills, and build the confidence to become more active and improve your overall health.
Here is how it works:
DPP participants meet for one-hour sessions in small cohorts of 10-20 participants who are at risk for Type 2 diabetes. Led by trained lifestyle coaches, these sessions help participants to meet their health goals through education, encouragement, and tools such as stress management techniques, tips for increasing physical activity, peer support, and nutrition information. Participants track their progress throughout the year. The Program’s goal is for participants to learn to eat better and increase physical activity to prevent developing Type 2 diabetes.
DPP eligibility:
This program is open to all qualifying faculty, staff, and family members.
To be eligible for the DPP, participants must meet the following criteria:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 25 or greater (individuals of Asian descent may have a BMI of 23 or greater)
- Not be previously diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes
- Not be pregnant
And demonstrate one of the following:
- Had a blood test result in the prediabetes range within the past year (includes any of these tests and results):
- Hemoglobin A1C: 5.7%–6.4%
- Fasting plasma glucose: 100–125 mg/dL
- 2-hour plasma glucose (after a 75g glucose load): 140–199 mg/dL
- Be previously diagnosed with gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
- Received a high-risk result (score of 5 or higher) on the Prediabetes Risk Test
For more information, contact:
Ashley Parker
Health and Well-being Specialist
Office of Risk Services
aseparke@ucsc.edu