FARMINGTON — The Healthy Community Coalition will offer the National Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Change Program from 4 to 5 p.m. starting Thursday, Oct. 18, at its offices at 105 Mt. Blue Circle.

Participants can qualify for the program if they are older than 18 and have a body mass index (BMI) of 24 or greater and have been diagnosed by a health care provider with prediabetes, a condition in which a person’s blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, or “at risk” for developing diabetes.

Individuals without a diagnosis also can quality if they have multiple other indicators, including: women who were diagnosed with gestational diabetes while pregnant; age 45-plus; family history of diabetes; being overweight; having high blood pressure; and not being physically active.

The year-long program is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is proven to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

Through coach-led group classes, participants can learn how to make important changes to improve their health by setting weight loss, nutrition and physical activity goals. Cooking classes, store tours, and ways to cope with challenges are all included as part of the program.

The fee to attend is $250, which will be waived for the first 10 individuals who sign up.

For more information or to register, contact Ellen Thorne, HCC program coordinator, at 779-2357 or [email protected].