Life! program

The Life! program is a lifestyle modification program that helps reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. BCH runs Life! groups throughout the year, which are free for most people.

See timetable for latest program dates

Eligibility

To participate in the Life! program participants must meet one or more of the following eligibility criteria. You must be:

• 18 years or over with an AUSDRISK score greater than or equal to 12 and a BMI score greater than or equal to 25
• 18 years or over with a previous diagnosis of one or more of the following:
  • cardiovascular disease (including myocardial infarction, angina and angioplasty)
  • gestational diabetes
  • moderate or severe chronic kidney disease
  • familial hypercholesterolemia
  • serum total cholesterol greater than 5mmol/L
  • systolic BP greater than or equal to 180mmHg or diastolic BP greater than or equal to 110mmHg
  • impaired glucose tolerance (by FPG, OGTT or HbA1c)
  • polycystic ovary syndrome.
• 45 years or over, or 35 years or over for those of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, and have an Absolute Risk score greater than or equal to 10% when referred by a GP clinic.

The Life! group course involves an hour-long one-on-one introductory session, five 90-minute group sessions across a six month period, and a 12 month follow up session, all run by a qualified health professional. Sessions are held both during the day and in the evening. Your partner or friend can attend the course to provide extra support. You’ll also receive a comprehensive participant workbook full of practical information on nutrition and physical activity, goal setting, sleep, stress and lapses.

Phone Ballarat Community Health on (03) 5338 4500 to speak to a friendly customer service officer, contact the Diabetes Australia Life! Team on 13 RISK (13 74 75) or visit the Life! website for further information.

Exclusions

People who already have diabetes, pregnant women or people who have had an angina diagnosis, angioplasty, active cancer or myocardial infarction in the last three months.

Pathology

All participants need to have diabetes excluded by Fasting Blood Glucose (and OGTT if FBG is greater than 5.5mmol/L) in the past 12 months. It is also required that your total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides have been tested in the past 12 months. Facilitators require copies of pathology.

If you need some more assistance or information about your diabetes, below are our other diabetes-specific services and programs. We’re here for you, so get in touch!

• Diabetes education provides support via appointments with our diabetes educators, both individual and in group settings.
• Diabetes Getting Started program will help you to get on your feet with diabetes.
• OzDAFNE is a comprehensive education and support program for adults with type 1 diabetes to learn how to self-manage their condition, including self-adjustment of insulin.
• Life! program is a health and lifestyle program for those with pre-diabetes, or at risk from type 2 diabetes.