CHICAGO, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, HabitNu announced that an online, affordable diabetes prevention program is now available at Chicago's new Walmart Health locations.
Prediabetes is a serious condition, affecting one in three adults in the US. Without intervention, more than half will develop type-2 diabetes within 3 to 5 years, which comes with enormous personal and economic costs. HabitNu, a Chicago-based company, is collaborating with Walmart Health on a diabetes prevention program to help address this problem.
HabitNu provides a personalized program that combines health coaching, CDC's evidence-based curriculum, and digital tools to help individuals identify prediabetes, learn about disease prevention, set goals, manage weight and receive support to live healthier lives. Walmart Health will pilot HabitNu's CDC-recognized Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) at two new Walmart Health locations: one in the Austin neighborhood at 1715 N. Kilpatrick Avenue and one in Chatham at 8410 S. Holland Road.
Walmart Health's Community Health Workers (CHWs), who are residents of the surrounding communities and trained by HabitNu, will support Chicago's south and west side residents in their diabetes management journeys.
The HabitNu program is delivered virtually due to COVID-19 and is fully covered for Medicare and Medicare Advantage members. The initial pilot is open to 40 participants per location, 80 in total. A scholarship fund has been established by HabitNu to help qualified individuals who are unable to afford the low monthly self-pay option.
And Chicago, with 10% of its population suffering from type 2 diabetes, needs this support. "Black and Latino Chicagoans are 30% more likely to have diabetes than white residents. By providing DPP HabitNu can help reduce the burden of diabetes in Chicago, especially now, because obesity and type-2 diabetes are contributing to an increased risk of COVID-19 related complications,'' said HabitNu's founder and CEO and a South Side resident, Dr. Sindhu Rajan.
"Walmart Health remains focused on providing high quality, affordable and accessible healthcare and wellness solutions to our communities, said Dr. Soujanya (Chinni) Pulluru, Senior Director of Clinical Transformation, Innovation and Operations, Walmart, Health & Wellness. "We continue to look for ways to offer preventive health solutions to our communities, and we're excited to collaborate on this diabetes prevention pilot program with HabiNu to serve the residents of Austin and Chatham."
About HabitNu: HabitNu provides scientifically proven programs to combat lifestyle diseases. HabitNu's Diabetes Prevention Program is fully recognized by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) based on its outcomes. For more information, visit http://www.walmart.habitnu.com
Media Contact: Vernon Mathias 312-566-7871