With Type 2 diabetes cases increasing 20% worldwide over the past decade, Door County Public Health officials are working to slow its growth.
According to a University of Georgia study, the increase in diabetes has affected all socioeconomic groups, including more than 1 in 5 individuals age 65 or older. That group is more than 10 times as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as people aged 18 to 24. Those ages 45 to 64 are about five times as likely to receive a diagnosis.
Those statistics inspired the department to create the Healthy Habits, Healthy Future program, a yearlong initiative focused on modest weight loss, increased physical activity, and practical lifestyle changes.
Door County Public Health’s Teri Van Lieshout said the program is based on the nationally recognized Diabetes Prevention Program, which has been proven to reduce the risk of diabetes.
The program begins Thursday, April 30, 2026, and meets weekly from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Aging and Disability Resource Center in Sturgeon Bay or online through August. The course transitions to twice a month from September through April 2027.
The cost is $100 for participants and $50 for those supporting loved ones in the program. For more information, contact the Door County Public Health Department.
