HELP Prevent Cancer Pilot Study

The Healthy Living Partnerships to Prevent Diabetes (HELP PD) study successfully translated the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) weight-loss lifestyle intervention in Winston-Salem, North Carolina by delivering the intervention via a partnership between a local diabetes education program with lay community health workers. This study documented a 7% weight loss and 4 mg/dl decrease in fasting blood glucose in patients with prediabetes in 1 year at promote healthy weight loss (1-2 pounds per week). These lifestyle strategies significantly lower costs than the DPP. The HELP PD lifestyle intervention focuses on restricting calories (while improving dietary quality) and increasing physical activity to allow participants to achieve an energy deficient state to are essential to reduce risk for type 2 diabetes but also for a multitude of chronic diseases where excess body weight plays a critical role in the development and exacerbation of the disease. In light of the community-based partnership on which HELP PD was based and the relatively low costs of program administration, the HELP PD model has the potential to be a highly effective and sustainable long-term approach to cancer prevention as well. This pilot study will be the initial step to determine feasibility of implementing the Healthy Living Partnerships to Prevent Cancer (HELP PC) in the Dan River Region of Southern Virginia through a partnership between researchers and colleagues from Wake Forest Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Danville Hematology and Oncology at the Danville Regional Medical Center, Resource Center of Southern Virginia in Danville, and Danville Regional Medical Center. Wake Forest will serve as the lead site in this study.