UPEI seeks candidates for free 12-month health program

UPEI is looking for about 120 people to take part in a free 12-month program to improve their health.

To be eligible, people have to be at risk of metabolic syndrome. That could mean they have high blood pressure, they have diabetes or have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic, they have abdominal obesity and or they are low in healthy cholesterol.

"We're looking for people that have three or more of those five conditions," said Marilyn Barrett, director of the UPEI Health and Wellness Centre.

The program was announced by UPEI in mid-March but was delayed through COVID-19, with hopes of now beginning in late June.

For the first 12 weeks, participants would have a weekly two-hour session focusing on the Mediterranean diet and an individualized exercise program. 

Health professionals available

Visits would gradually become monthly with a kinesiologist and a dietician available between sessions by email or phone.

Barrett said it's not a weight loss program but "if that actually happens, that's nice, too."

She said it has been successful in other locations.

"In some instances they've been able to reduce risk factors and sometimes reverse metabolic syndrome in patients. So they've seen significantly lowering blood pressure, reducing waist circumference, glucose levels lowering."

The information will be submitted in aggregate form, with no personal identification attached, to the national CHANGE program, where it will be analyzed with results from other provinces.

'Lifelong changes'

Barrett said she hopes participants will continue with the changes when the year is up.

"I think that's one of the big positives of this program is that you're followed by health professionals over a year. It's a good way to help you incorporate this into your lifestyle to make lifelong changes."

Interested candidates can call 902-620-5156.

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