2025 Impact Highlight
Weld County, Front Range Region
‘Dining with Diabetes’ provides health-management education to at-risk communities in Weld County
According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), estimates show that 1 in 3 Coloradans has pre-diabetes and is at risk for developing type 2 diabetes within six years. Every year, an estimated 34,456 people in Colorado are diagnosed with diabetes according to the American Diabetes Association. Currently, 15.9% of Hispanic residents in Weld County report having diabetes.
Weld County CSU Extension Specialist Sheila Beckley participated in a CDPHE grant application to launch two spring cohorts of “Dining with Diabetes,” a program designed to teach practical skills like portion control, food-label reading, appropriate physical activity, and key medical tests for diabetes management.
To ensure accessibility, the classes were fully bilingual with simultaneous interpretation. The first cohort met in person in Greeley, where participants viewed video demonstrations of recipes, sampled the same dishes as a full meal, and saw real-life examples of balanced portions and healthy food ratios.
The second cohort was delivered online to expand the program’s reach across Weld County and beyond. Each week, participants received grocery bags with all recipe ingredients so they could practice preparing the meals at home.
Of the 15 participants enrolled, ten completed both pre- and post evaluations, and all ten demonstrated knowledge gains, improving their average score from 2.8 to 5.5 out of 7. Among the seven participants who completed the behavior-change questions, the data showed increases in the number of days per week they engaged in healthier eating and physical activity.
These outcomes show that participants not only learned essential diabetes-management skills but also started applying them in their daily lives. Participant comments further highlight the program’s impact, including one who realized they should make use of the free gym membership offered by their employer, and another who, after witnessing a parent lose a foot to diabetes, expressed gratitude for learning how to prevent similar complications.
The improvements among participants help strengthen community health, as their new skills and habits may influence family, friends, and others around them. These outcomes show the value of accessible, bilingual diabetes education and may motivate more residents – especially those at risk – to pursue healthier behaviors.
Over time, the impact of the Dining With Diabetes program may support lower healthcare costs, fewer health complications, and expanded opportunities for diabetes education across Weld County.