UBC Okanagan associate professor Mary Jung
Tips include lifestyle modification, a healthy diet and regular exercise
What: A chronic disease prevention seminar
Who: Associate Professor Mary Jung presents diabetes prevention research findings
When: Wednesday, November 14, from 10 to 11 a.m. (followed by an awareness walk)
Where: Room RHS 260, Reichwald Health Sciences, 1088 Discovery Avenue, UBC Okanagan
On world diabetes day, one of UBC Okanagan’s leading diabetes researchers will talk about prevention programs at a special event.
Associate Professor Mary Jung will present Trials, Tribulations and Triumphs: Translating a diabetes prevention program from the laboratory to the community on November 14 at UBC Okanagan.
Health officials estimate that in Canada, one in every four adults will have prediabetes by 2025. These people are at high risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, a chronic disease associated with serious health complications and premature death.
Jung, who teaches in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences, says there are very few diabetes prevention programs available for people at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. However, she says lifestyle modification, including a healthy diet and regular exercise, are twice as effective as the leading pharmaceutical agents in preventing the progression from prediabetes to Type 2 diabetes.
Jung, a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Researcher, says a cost-effective community program is needed. During her presentation, she will discuss the challenges and successes of bringing her lab to the community. After her presentation, she is inviting people to accompany her and her research team on a diabetes awareness walk departing from Reichwald Health Sciences building at 11 a.m.
This event, organized by the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, is free and open to the public or people can attend via webinar. Register at: maryjung.eventbrite.ca
For more information about Jung’s prediabetes program, visit: ok-smallsteps.sites.olt.ubc.ca
About UBC's Okanagan campus
UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.