RANDOLPH – He was once 300 pounds and facing death.

Today, a slim Wendell Fowler spends his time teaching others how to eat healthy, lose the weight and feel good, and he’s coming to Gifford Medical Center on Aug. 27 for a free lecture.

A chef, author, motivational speaker and self-described “vegaholic” and locavore, Fowler will present “Diabesity: Making Good Food Choices” in the Gifford Conference Center in Randolph from 6:30-8 p.m.

Nearly 8 percent of the nation’s population has diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. That’s 23.6 million adults and children nationwide.

Diabetes is a group of diseases characterized by high blood glucose levels that result from defects in the body’s ability to produce and/or use insulin. Obesity is a strong risk factor for becoming a type 2 diabetic, especially in young people or people who have been obese for a long time.

In “Diabesity,” Mr. Fowler – with the help of his brother, Gifford internal medicine physician Dr. Milt Fowler – will discuss the importance of making good food choices to improve health.

“The American diet has failed,” says chef Fowler, who has been credited with offering “nutritional enlightenment” to understand what today’s food offerings do to ones health and mental clarity, and how to recognize low-grade foods.

Mr. Fowler will cover label reading, cooking techniques to get the most nutrition out of ones food, recognizing red flags, making informed dietary choices and what specific foods assist in diabetes management.

Mr. Fowler describes his lively, information packed lectures as positive and encouraging.

It was just what Gifford Diabetes Clinic Coordinator Jennifer Stratton was looking for.

“I always get the comments from people, ‘What do I eat? ‘How do I make good choices?’” As a certified diabetes educator and registered dietitian, Stratton can provide the answers, but she was looking to add a new, dynamic voice to the mix.

“We were trying to think of something that would be really fun and someone who knows a lot about food,” Stratton says.

Enter Mr. Fowler, who not only talks about healthy eating, but also lives it. In 1988, when Fowler tipped the scale at 300 pounds, his cardiologist gave him a harsh truth: “Get prepared,” he said. “You’re going to die, soon.”

Mr. Fowler dropped his diet of Krispie Kremes, cheeseburgers and “excessive cocktailing” and got to work changing himself, and then working to change a nation.

To be part of the change, visit Gifford on Aug. 27. The 6:30-8 p.m. talk is free and open to all, including diabetics and anyone interested in learning about healthy eating, especially overweight individuals or people with a family history of diabetes who worry that they too will join the diabetes epidemic.

To sign up for the talk, call the Gifford Diabetes Clinic at (802) 728-7100, ext. 4. Space is limited to the first 80 registrants.