NDEP | National Diabetes Education Program

Sample Activity Plans

Healthy Eating and Cardiovascular Sample Activity Plan

Community:

Southeast Alaska

Audience:

Alaska Native families

Profile:

Alaskan village with a population of 700, majority native, located on a large island in Southeast Alaska, transportation by boat or plane. Diabetes and heart disease are prevalent and Alaska Native youth are at high risk for diabetes.

Goal:

To improve diabetes management through healthy lifestyle changes, such as "Getting Physical."

Objective:

To assist families with meal planning, and encourage a healthier diet to control diabetes. To increase participants' knowledge about diabetes and its effect on the cardiovascular system.

Objective:

To encourage participants to exercise regularly to strengthen the heart muscle and control blood sugar. They will choose foods that meet dietary guidelines by eating a balanced diet.

Activity:

Schedule home visits with families to demonstrate meal planning using guidelines provided by the ADA. Assist family members in developing weight management plans.
Collaborate with the community center to develop low-impact aerobics and chair aerobics, geared to physical ability.
Expand community center activities to include meal planning/cooking demonstrations and various physical activities throughout the year.
Resources and materials will be available through AAIP-NDEP, State Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, CDC, ADA, and so forth.

Organizer:

Health Clinic and Community Health Practitioner

Delivery:

Community center, home visits, airplane drops, mail service, PSAs

Partners:

Media sources, local planning committee, AAIP-NDEP, Diabetes Prevention and Control Program

Physical Activity Sample Activity Plan

Community:

Reservation in Washington State

Audience:

Pregnant women

Profile:

Young adult females at high risk for diabetes.

Goal:

To raise awareness about diabetes.

Objective:

To increase knowledge about diabetes and its risk factors.

Objective:

To encourage physical activity through a regular walking program.

Activity:

Develop a weekly physical activity workshop at the community center that will provide stretching, floor exercise, and walking. The workshop will be comprised of two parts:

a) weekly educational seminar
b) physical activity

Organizer:

Tribal community health educator

Delivery:

Local community center

Partners:

Community health nurse, dietitian, and volunteer certified exercise specialist, local tribal health clinic, tribal office personnel, local grocer, laundromat, church

Physical Activity Sample Activity Plan

Community:

Community College-Central California

Audience:

American Indian college students

Profile:

College community and surrounding area that includes a population of diverse American Indian tribes. Participants include young families and/or students.

Goal:

To raise awareness among young adults in the college community about diabetes as a serious and common disease.

Objective:

To encourage the college community to participate in a physical fitness activity.

Objective:

To introduce appetizing prepared dishes which will encourage participants to eat healthy foods low in calories and fat.

Activity:

Plan a Fitness Week Program that will include a basketball tournament, other sport/fitness activities and nutritious food demonstrations. Air NDEP public service announcements on local college TV/radio station.

Organizer:

American Indian Students' Association, student(s) recently diagnosed with diabetes, college students, young adults and their families.

Delivery:

Local recreation center

Partners:

Nutrition educator, recreation coordinator, TV/radio stations, newspapers editors, local grocery store or farmer's market, AAIP, NDEP, State Diabetes Control Program, CDC.

Nutrition Fair and After School Sample Activity Plan

Community:

American Indian community-Northern Arizona

Audience:

American Indian students, ages 12-14

Profile:

Students from communities with many persons with diabetes.

Goal:

Early prevention of diabetes.

Objective:

To improve the participants' knowledge of diabetes as a serious but controllable disease.

Objective:

To increase physical activity and encourage healthy eating choices through planned youth activities.

Activity:

Organize an after-school sports program (basketball, softball, race walking). Include guest athletes, a tournament, prizes, and a special ceremony.
Conduct a month-long nutrition fair. Students will develop a slogan that emphasizes healthy eating. Incorporate nutrition and fitness into classroom lesson plans (science, art, biology, physical education, drama, etc.), role playing, displays, posters, and a special assembly program. Older youth (ages 12-14) will mentor younger children (ages 6-8) who may enjoy creating a play and dressing up as different vegetables to dramatize the classroom lesson, or engage in another creative activity.

Organizer:

School Board Member, Tribal Council Leader, and Community Health Representative, School Staff.

Delivery:

School assembly programs, classrooms, church, parks and recreation.

Partners:

Radio and television stations, church members, tribal leaders, grocery store, and school staff, AAIP, NDEP, Arizona Diabetes Prevention and Control Program.

Garden Project Sample Activity Plan

Community:

A rural community in Oklahoma

Audience:

Elders and youth

Profile:

Close family units, moderate income, and high incidence of diabetes..

Goal:

To promote traditional lifestyle and intergenerational activities while raising awareness about diabetes control.

Objective:

To enhance cultural awareness and physical activity through elders' teaching of traditional songs and dances.

Objective:

To increase knowledge and improve glucose control through intergenerational support.

Activity:

Garden Project. Activities to include weeding a neighborhood lot, preparing the soil, planting seeds, maintaining the garden, harvesting, and planning a harvest celebration. In addition, weekly gourd dances will be organized at the community center.

Organizer:

Community-based work group with Tribal council support and State Rural Development Councils.

Delivery:

Tribal community lot/community center

Partners:

Local radio station, Tribal council, Land Manager, local high school, elders program, bingo enterprise, local university (agriculture department or extension service), and local health center, AAIP-NDEP, CDC, NIH.

Diabetes Education Exhibit Sample Activity Plan

Community:

Reservation-South Dakota

Audience:

Tribal members and their families attending pow-wow and rodeo.

Profile:

Tribal members with high rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity.

Goal:

To demonstrate the benefits of exercise/nutrition and early intervention.

Objective:

Introduce the benefits of healthy eating, with food portions demonstrated. To offer a variety of exercise plans that will fit each person's ability level for physical activity. To provide special attention to helping each person become more physically fit.

Activity:

Develop an exhibit. Have a display table at a pow-wow showing children engaged in physical fitness activities and nutrition education activities. Health screening (testing) will be available for participants to check blood sugar*, cholesterol, and blood pressure. (Include a special booth for screening and speaking to the healthcare person.) The screening will be available to all attending pow-wow and rodeo. NDEP brochures and educational materials will be distributed. Fresh fruit/vegetables, water, and juice will be available throughout the pow-wow.

Organizer:

IHS Diabetes Educator, School Athletic Program Coordinator, Community Health Representatives, and tribal employees.

Delivery:

Weekend Tribal Fair and Pow-wow.

Partners:

Tribal Fair and Pow-wow Committee, IHS Health Department, Tribal Newsletter, School, Tribal Diabetes Project, Rodeo Committee, AAIP-NDEP.

* Currently, community-based testing is not usually recommended by the National Diabetes Education Program. However, blood glucose testing/screening as described in these examples is appropriate in many American Indian and Alaska Native settings because of the high prevalence of diabetes in this population and the availability and involvement of Indian health programs that may provide follow up care for test results.

Community Sample Activity Plan

Community:

Urban American Indian Community-Northeastern United States.

Audience:

American Indian Community, all ages.

Profile:

Diverse tribal population of various ages in the urban American Indian community at high risk for diabetes.

Goal:

Promote the NDEP campaign, "Control Your Diabetes. For Life." Raise awareness about diabetes and encourage healthy eating habits as a way of controlling the disease.

Objective:

To promote community awareness of diabetes and its effects.

Objective:

To start a community garden and encourage participants to eat a variety of healthy fresh fruits and vegetables.

Activity:

Youth will organize a Hand Game and invite community members and elders to explain the community goal for controlling diabetes. Incorporate their ideas and suggestions in plans for future activities.
Form a community garden group that will plant, take care of, and harvest produce.
Celebrate with a harvest activity where some of the harvest is cooked and eaten and part of the bounty is given to the elders.

Organizer:

Students and local companies (the companies would donate seeds to the community), Urban Indian Center.

Delivery:

An empty lot located near the urban center.

Partners:

Radio stations, local companies, hardware stores, and the community members, church, 4-H Club, Urban Indian Center, AAIP-NDEP.

Health workshops and Screening Sample Activity Plan

Community:

Five reservations across the Florida peninsula, including rural and urban areas

Audience:

Tribal members and American Indians with diabetes.

Profile:

Tribal members, many diagnosed with diabetes for five or more years.

Goal:

Promote diabetes prevention awareness initiatives through education and access to healthcare.

Objective:

To increase knowledge of diabetes and its risk factors.

Objective:

To provide blood sugar*, blood pressure, and foot screening.

Activity:

Plan and deliver workshops and health screenings at special areas within the communities. Workshop includes: foot screening, diabetes education and risk factors, and the importance of foot care and screening. A healthy lunch will be provided.

Organizer:

Diabetes Educators from Indian Health Service, Public Health Nurses, Health Service Providers from local clinics.

Delivery:

Tribal library system branches.

Partners:

Tribal leaders, librarians, tribal casinos' food service, Native Broadcasting Department and sister stations, Florida DPCP, NDEP, American Diabetes Association.

Includes information about managing the ABCs of Diabetes. Also features information for people with diabetes who are eligible for Medicare benefits.
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