H2K Program

This program was launched by the Maritime Heart Center’s Heart Healthy Group to give people the tools to help them establish heart-healthy lifestyles. The program educates elementary school children and their caregivers about the risks of heart disease and focuses on the topics of heart anatomy and function, risk factor modification, smoking and nutrition.  It includes a physical activity challenge (heart health challenge) with fun competitions and rewards.  Ultimately, we want children to be motivated to live active, healthy lives and to be role models for their families and communities.

We believe that disease prevention is as critical as patient care. With childhood obesity rates soaring and activity levels decreasing, we are working to prevent the epidemic of coronary artery disease from continuing. We invite you to join us in our quest for a heart healthy future for our children.

 

About the Reseach Project:

“I Want to be a Heart Healthy Kid” Program is a research project funded by the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation (NSHRF), the IWK Health Center Division of Cardiac Surgery, the Maritime Heart Center and industry partners Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline.

Research Title:

Heart Healthy Kid Program: The Role of Peer Mentors in Enhancing School-based Physical Activity

Researchers:

Principal Investigator: Dr. Camille Hancock Friesen, MD (Chief, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, IWK Children’s Heart Center; President Maritime Heart Center)

Co-Principal Investigator: Sarah Kirk, PhD (School of Health Administration, Dalhousie University)

Research Associate: Rebecca Spencer, BSc Kin (Maritime Heart Center, Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University)

Program Director: Jenna Bower, OT Reg (NS), (Maritime Heart Center)

Program Manager: Susan Curren (Maritime Heart Center)

Steering Comittee Members: Jennifer Hoyt ,RNFA,  Jennifer Miller, RN,  Gillian Yates, RN

Why are we doing the study:

In Nova Scotia, and much of Canada, obesity, diabetes and heart disease are on the rise. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends 30 – 60 minutes of moderate-level exercise four or more days a week to help prevent these and other conditions. Half of Nova Scotian children spend more than 3 hours a day doing inactive activities, and almost half of Canadian children are overweight. Obesity rates in children have more than doubled recently, and opportunities  to be active at school are decreasing. Over recent years, we carried out a project to increase physical activity in an elementary school. We found that having a health mentor (someone to promote healthy living and encourage being active) in the school had an impact on increasing physical activity.

The Program:

In 2009 -2010 a pilot study is being run at Fairview Heights Elementary School. Beginning in the fall of 2010 the program will run in 10 schools in the HRM. All grades 4, 5 and 6 students will be invited to join the study.  The research program consists of two parts. The first part will be a physical activity challenge, where students will each be given a pedometer to count their steps everyday while they are at school. They will also be asked to keep track of their activity outside of school. Each student will be placed on a team who will compete in a race across Canada to the Olympics. A web-based data collection tool has been designed for students to log  and keep track of their steps and activity. This web-based tool tracks the students progress along the Olympic torch route across Canada. The web tool also includes resources for the children such as fun activities to try and healthy meal ideas.

At the beginning and end of the school year students will participate in a fitness test to measure cardiovascular endurance (the PACER shuttle run test). In the second half of the school year students will be matched with a peer mentor: a child of the same age (or slightly older) who will encourage physical activity and promote a heart healthy lifestyle. Peer-mentors will be chosen by classroom teachers and will participate in a leadership training workshop held in the school and run by the H2K staff. Introducing peer mentors in the second half of the school year will allow the researchers to compare the program with and without the influence of a peer mentor, to see the effect the mentors have on physical activity. Teams will meet once a week during the school lunch hour to participate in physical activities as a group. Sessions will be run by the H2K staff and peer mentors.

The second part of the program is educational; health professionals will visit students twice throughout the year to give hour-long sessions from the following areas: heart anatomy and physiology, nutrition, smoking prevention, and reducing the risks to poor heart health. These educational sessions will be grade-appropriate. The level of heart health knowledge will be measured by giving the students quizzes before and after the lectures. The test will include true and false, multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank questions. The researchers will hold interviews and focus groups with students to learn more about what they think of the mentoring idea. Parents will be asked to complete two short surveys.

Each month assemblies are held in the school to motivate and encourage the students. Awards will be presented each month to students who have accumulated the most steps over the month as well as awards for things such as trying the most new activities, mentoring, most improvement, etc. Teachers will also be incentivized for their participation. A guest speaker will be present each month to speak to the students about making heart healthy lifestyle choices. Guest speakers will include varsity athletes, Olympic athletes, coaches, physicians and health promoters.

INTERESTED SCHOOLS:

Schools interested in taking part in the program in 2010 – 2011  should contact the Maritime Heart Center before March 2010. Spaces are limited.

For more information on the program or to register please contact Jenna or Susan at 446 3669 or by email info@maritimeheartcenter.ca

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