hearts-in-training combines Healthy Heart Society's hearts@work campaign and SportMedBC's InTraining walk and run clinics. This health promotion program allows participants to see the concrete benefits that regular physical activity has on heart health.

Initially, Sun Run InTraining walkers and runners were hearts-in-training participants.  In 2008, hearts-in-training joined the Honour Your Health Challenge and provided assessments to participants from seven Aboriginal communities in BC.

Goals

• Provide participants with personal insight into the heart health benefits of regular exercise

• Encourage them to maintain an active lifestyle after completion of the InTraining program.

Program

hearts-in-training assesses cardiovascular risk and educates participants about the impact of physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle. Participants enrolled in the Vancouver Sun Run In-Training program have their heart health risk factors tested before and 13 weeks after the event, and are provided a report. By witnessing dramatic shifts in their heart health assessment results, participants are encouraged to maintain an active lifestyle.

• A finger-prick screening test to measure your total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, TC/HDL ratio and glucose (blood sugar)
• Measurement of blood pressure, height, weight, body mass index and waist girth
• A personalized Heart Health Profile identifying individual heart health risk factors and overall risk for developing heart disease
• One-on-one consultation with a health professional to discuss assessment results and set a health improvement goal
• Educational materials and personalized recommendations to help lower risk factors and improve overall health

 Results

• significant reductions in cardiovascular risk
• significant improvements in exercise participation rates, blood pressure, body mass index and waist girth measurement - all independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease