Free health program available in Marion
Families are encouraged to participate in program
Do you need to lose some weight, lower your blood pressure or cholesterol, or control your diabetes?
Sign up for the free Healthy Fit Project now until Nov. 30 by calling Jan Moffitt at 382-2177, ext. 198 any time and leave a message, or 382-5760 evenings.
The Healthy Fit Council is looking for at least 100 people in the Marion area interested in improving their health through exercise and diet.
Martha McCabe, grants coordinator of Via Christi Foundation, spoke Monday morning to the council about the fitness program that is being funded with grant money.
"Rural communities offer unique challenges," said McCabe, "due to the shortage of (health and exercise) facilities.
"Larger communities can offer more than one fitness club or weight loss center, and maybe an indoor pool and track. Rural communities are limited with resources and trained personnel," added McCabe. Community-based programs are found to be successful in the rural areas.
Families are the focus of the free program but anyone six years old and older may sign up.
"Obesity is an issue with families," said McCabe. "Statistics show that 10 percent of children ages two to four are already obese."
Families are specifically encouraged to participate because of the impact that behavior modification has in improving diet and eating patterns in the family environment.
St. Luke Hospital is a member of the critical access network, Wheat Plains Health Network. Via Christi is the supporting hospital for the network and McCabe wrote the grant.
Marion, Hillsboro, and Anthony were selected to participate in this health project.
McCabe stressed that this project, due to the nature of the grant, is a community project and not just an individual project.
"When the 32-week study is completed, the information from all of the participants will be compiled in a (scientific) report."
In order for this program to be implemented, a minimum of 100 people need to participate. The program will begin Dec. 1 and end July 31, 2004.
Classes from the local schools, church groups, organizations, and other groups are encouraged to participate.
Local dietitians and economists will be asked to assist with the program to assist participants with meal plans.
Participants will need to report their progress on a weekly basis to Moffitt via e-mail, telephone, or fax. They are required to meet with Moffitt, face-to-face, at least one time a month. Arrangements for these meetings will be made at enrollment.
Another requirement for participants is to be under a doctor's care.
"A personal physician needs to be involved to authorize blood work and to monitor the weight loss," said McCabe.
This program came about as a result of a focus group study conducted in January and February. From this focus group, health concerns were discussed at the Marion Senior Center. A major concern among the elderly, besides cost increases of medications and health insurance, was the health, specifically obesity, of younger people.
This information was then used in a grant application to provide a fitness program to the Marion area residents.
The goals are to:
1) Reduce the risk of the diseases of hypertension (high blood pressure), hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), and diabetes in children, adolescents, and adults in each rural community;
2) Reduce exacerbation or increased severity in people previously diagnosed with any or all of these conditions through participation in project activities; and
3) Improve the overall health of the community by achieving measurable, positive outcomes of individuals participating in the project, and with leadership of community councils improving access to community physical activity through enhanced recreation opportunities.
"The grant amount that was awarded was $50,760 which provides funding to Marion, Hillsboro, and Anthony," said McCabe. Hillsboro and Anthony started in October with Marion's start date planned for Dec. 1.
The funds are being used primarily to pay the coordinators for each community to administer the program. The remainder of the funds will be used for lab work, promotion, and materials.
The Via Christi Regional Medical Center (VCRMC) Diabetes Services Division will provide curriculums to Moffitt and additional assistance as needed. The Via Christi Foundation, a subsidiary of VCRMC, will serve as fiscal agent and grant manager on behalf of the Wheat Plains Health Network.
The benefits participants receive is free lab work (if requested), free consultation with the coordinator, and support from a group.
"Studies have shown that people who diet and exercise in a group have a better chance of losing weight than those doing it alone," said McCabe.
The results of the Healthy Fit Project will correlate the results of increased activity to reduction of weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and overall improvement of health.
"Thirty minutes of daily exercise will be a test of this theory," said McCabe.
For more information or to enroll, contact Moffitt by telephone or e-mail her at healthyfitproject@yahoo.com.
