NORWAY — “I’m excited to be working with community members to make sure they have the quality of life they want, to help them save money, and to live happier, healthier lives,” said Allison Kelly of the new Food As Medicine program offered through Stephens Memorial Hospital. The free program focuses on preventing diabetes and improving access to healthy, nutritious food.

Thousands of Oxford County residents have been diagnosed with prediabetes, a health condition that can lead to heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diabetes affects 11% of Americans and is the most expensive chronic disease in the nation, with $1 out of every $4 spent on health care costs going towards diabetes care for a staggering annual total of $237 billion.

A person with diabetes will face an average of $12,000 a year in medical expenses due to their condition. Thankfully, prediabetes can often be reversed—allowing people to enjoy better health and avoid a future made more complicated and expensive by diabetes.

Provided through MaineHealth, the free Oxford County Food As Medicine program works with people with prediabetes or at risk for diabetes, and who have limited access to affordable healthy foods. The year-long program helps people to improve their health with nutritious food and lifestyle changes.

Eating healthy foods can help not only with prediabetes but also with high blood pressure and obesity. The in-person program includes healthy lifestyle coaching through the Diabetes Prevention Program, cooking skills classes through the Cooking Matters program, and weekly bags of healthy food (along with recipes to combine the ingredients into tasty and nutritious meals) through the Stephens Memorial Hospital food pantry.

“Our program is modeled after a very successful Food As Medicine program in Franklin County, which started small and grew to a point where they have a waiting list,” shared Carl Costanzi, who oversees the new Oxford County program for Western Maine Health.

The Franklin County program focused on people with diabetes rather than prediabetes but included the same essential elements. Costanzi observed that “Peer support – being able to connect with people with similar experiences, learn together, and be cheerleaders for one another – was what made their program so successful, and we’re aiming for the same success.”

The Oxford County Food As Medicine program includes classes that meet weekly for 4 months, then twice a month for the rest of the year. Trained instructor Allison Kelly will provide guidance and encouragement throughout the program.

The classes are an hour long and are held at the same time each week. The first class has already started and more are being added on additional days and times.

To qualify for the program, a person must be 18 or older, be carrying extra weight, have prediabetes or be at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes (but not already have Type 2 diabetes), not be pregnant, and have limited access to affordable healthy foods.

To learn more, contact Allison Kelly at [email protected] or 207-662-9863.