OGDENSBURG -- Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center will hold a free diabetes education dinner lecture Jan. 17 at the Freight House, 20 Market. St.

Allison Felt will share “Tips for Eating Out” and Parth Chowdhuri, an internist, will share the “ABC’s of Diabetes.”

Diabetes is a disease that is primarily self-managed. It is important to set goals and steps to control the disease. Remembering the “ABCs of diabetes” can help to prevent or delay the onset of serious diabetes complications including:

• A1C - For most people with diabetes, it is important to keep their A1C (average blood glucose level over 2 or 3 months) less than 7 percent.

• Blood Pressure - People with diabetes should have a target blood pressure of less than 130/80 mmHg.

• Cholesterol - LDL (bad) cholesterol should be below 100 mg/dl; HDL (healthy) cholesterol should be above 40 mg/dl for men and 50 mg/dl for women; triglycerides should be below 150 mg/dl.

Reservations are required, and can be made by calling Karen Cole at 713-5181.