Walmart, American Diabetes Association plan 4 Walmart Wellness Day screening events

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart will be bringing America’s largest health fair back to communities it serves this year, with the first of four Walmart Wellness Day events planned for June 17. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time, the retailer will offer free health screenings at its more than 4,600 locations. And through its partnership with the American Diabetes Association, the retailer will be hosting four such events this year.

The American Diabetes Association projects that 1-in-11 Americans have Type 2 diabetes and some 86 million are at risk for developing the disease. In an effort to focus on these patients, the association will follow up via email with patients screened on June 17 whose blood pressure and blood glucose tests suggest a diabetes risk to suggest next steps and resources.

“We’re more committed than ever to serving as an open door to affordable, accessible healthcare, and our Walmart Wellness Day program is a key piece of that,” George Riedl, SVP and president, Walmart Health & Wellness, said. “We know that many of our customers have learned about an existing health problem for the first time at one our Walmart Wellness Day events, and that can be overwhelming. Walmart is proud to be working with the American Diabetes Association to offer even more support to customers who may find themselves in this situation.”

Since its first Walmart Wellness Day event, the company said it has delivered more than 1.1 million screenings across the country. At the latest event in January, there were roughly more than 338,000 screenings conducted. 

“An estimated 8 million people with diabetes are undiagnosed, and when left untreated, diabetes can lead to serious health complications including kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, blindness and amputations,” American Diabetes Association SVP research and community programs Tamara Darsow said. “We are excited to work with Walmart on this initiative and encourage as many Americans as possible to participate. Knowing your risk for diabetes is the first step to being able to prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes.”

Future Walmart Wellness Day events are scheduled for September, January 2018 and spring 2018.