Supervalu Launches Diabetes Program
At a time when 26 million Americans are living with diabetes, Supervalu Inc. is launching a comprehensive, whole-store health and wellness program, Living Healthy with My Diabetes.
The program offers a variety of resources to make life easier for customers living with diabetes, including educational materials, health screening tests, group and individual diabetes education and training programs, medication management consultations, nutrition information, dietary tools, products and other services.
“Our neighborhood grocery stores are uniquely positioned to be a one-stop solution for people with diabetes,” said Chris Dimos, Supervalu’s president of pharmacy operations. “In addition to offering nutritious foods in our grocery aisles, our pharmacists and dietitians can help educate customers, provide personalized training and guide them to the information, products and services they need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The program is part of our commitment to provide convenient, affordable health and wellness solutions to our customers.”
In addition to the resources that will be available year-round, Supervalu’s nationwide family of stores – including Acme, Albertsons, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s/Star Market, Shop ’n Save and Shoppers Food & Pharmacy – will kick off the program with special, limited-time offers between Nov. 7 and Nov. 20 in honor of American Diabetes Month, including free blood glucose test screenings; health screenings for A1C, cholesterol and liver function and savings booklets for discounts on diabetes-related products.
Program elements available year-round include “Eating Healthy with Diabetes” store tours, guided by specially trained pharmacists and registered dietitians; diabetes-friendly menu ideas and recipes, which can be accessed online through store websites; in-store pharmacy services; general nutrition information from registered dietitians; and diabetes products such as test strips, glucose tablets, blood pressure monitors and lancets.
The reported incidence of diabetes has climbed to 11.3 percent of American adults, and if current trends continue, 15 percent will be living with diabetes by 2015, according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.
“Beyond the pharmacy, our stores offer tips and tools to help customers living with diabetes better manage their diets,” Dimos said. “Managing diabetes with a food plan is about understanding the importance of balanced nutrition and choosing from a variety of food groups throughout the day. Our stores offer the resources that people with diabetes need to enjoy controlled portions of foods from every food group, so they can eat what they love, balanced with what they need.”
Supervalu Inc. operates 4,280 stores including 1,160 traditional retail stores, including 813 in-store pharmacies; 1,210 hard-discount stores; and 1,910 independent stores serviced primarily by the company’s traditional food distribution business.