| Interventions Specific to At-Risk Populations |
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| Camp NEW You |
The camp program will focus on goal setting and decision making, and will emphasize the importance of parent participation in helping create healthier home environments that provide opportunities for healthy eating and regular physical activity. The camp is run by a team of dedicated professionals including an advisory board, camp directors, counselors, and countless other volunteers that ensure a quality experience for all participants. This years' camp was held on the campus of West Virginia University July 13 through the 26th. 25 students participated in the camp that included a wide variety of activities, educational sessions, lifestyle coaching opportunties, comprehensive medical assessments, and more. The camp is initially held for two weeks during the summer, and then there are three follow up weekends that give the students and parents an opportunity to come back together for more activities, educational opportunties, and encouragement Upcoming Dates: October 3-5 | April 3-5 | June 12-14 | |
| NEW YOU Program |
Developed and first implemented in Princeton, WV, the NEW (Nutrition, Education, and Weight Management Program) You program invites both parents and children to freely participate in a nutrition education and physical activity program aimed at building healthy lifestyles for families. NEW You focuses on physical activity and nutrition education and building self-esteem. In the combined Princeton data, it was found that participating in NEW You improved children's overall self-esteem. Results of the pre-test indicated that 79.5% of the children did not feel they had much to be proud of before the program started. By the end of the program, only one participant did not have a positive attitude toward his/her abilities. Knowledge about physical activity and nutrition also improved post-intervention. Furthermore, at baseline, a total of 24 participants had a BMI greater than the 97th percentile. Post-intervention, only 19 participants had a BMI percentile within this category. With the help of various community collaborators and the Northern WV RHEP, the NEW You Program was also recently implemented in Taylor county. Other sites around the state have also expressed interest in expanding and using similar programming elements for their own at-risk populations. |
| West Virginia Familial Hypercholesterolemia Project |
Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inherited disorder which causes cholesterol levels to be elevated. CARDIAC staff works with a high-risk population who, due to their genetic make-up, are at greater risk for early onset of cardiovascular disease. CARDIAC conducts follow-ups with the children and the family members identified as likely to have genetic lipid disorders. A more detailed family history is taken, and further clinical recommendations are made. The FH component brings a unique quality to the CARDIAC Project. While the CARDIAC screening takes a population-based approach to a public health intervention, the FH project intervenes with individuals most at-risk due to their genetic makeup. Therefore, both groups are targeted at the same time, and both groups can benefit from what the CARDIAC Project has to offer. |
| The Preventative Cardiology Clinic for Children & Adolecents |
This clinic provides a multi-disciplinary consultative support for primary care providers caring for patients at risk of developing premature coronary heart disease. Currently, the clinic serves five West Virginia communities: Morgantown, Huntington, Lewisburg, Beckley, and Princeton. It is staffed by pediatric cardiologists, adolescent and sports medicine specialists and ambulatory pediatricians on the faculty of WVU, Marshall University, and the WV School of Osteopathic Medicine. Children who are considered to be high risk for heart disease, based on the CARDIAC screening, might benefit from evaluation in this clinic |
Camp NEW You is an innovative program designed to help youth and their parents identify and practice lifestyle changes that will assist in reducing unhealthy body weight through increased physical activity and good nutrition.