Monday, March 22, 2010

Join the StrongWomen-Healthy Hearts Program!

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. Heart disease and stroke can also limit a woman’s ability to do the everyday things that she is used to doing.

To improve women’s health in the central Susquehanna valley and statewide, Penn State Extension will be offering Strong Women-Healthy Hearts classes, beginning in Sunbury this spring. An informational meeting will be held March 31 from 2:30-4 p.m. at the Penn State Cooperative Extension Office in Sunbury. An orientation and assessment meeting will be held April 5, and classes will begin April 12, meeting from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, running through June 30.

The team at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts who brought strength-training programs to midlife and older women throughout Pennsylvania has developed an exercise and nutrition program designed to help women improve their heart health. The StrongWomen – Healthy Hearts Program is a fun, hands-on way to make positive changes to help you eat better, move more, and improve your general health and well-being. Classes focus on nutrition and exercise and include topics such as menu planning and portion control.

If you participate in the Program, you will also be asked to participate in research to learn about the best ways to spread this program so that it can be brought to women all over the country in the communities where they live. This research, which is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is being conducted through a partnership between Pennsylvania State University and Tufts University. Penn State University Cooperative Extension was awarded a subcontract to conduct this research in the state of Pennsylvania.

Women are eligible for this study if they are 40 years of age or older; have a body mass index (BMI) between 24 and 45; live independently (not in assisted living or nursing home); are not currently getting much exercise; are willing to consent to participate in this research study; and are able to provide evidence that starting an exercise program will be safe for them.

For further information on the StrongWomen – Healthy Hearts Program, and to register for the information session, please contact:
Lynn James, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., Penn State Cooperative Extension in Northumberland County 443 Plum Creek Road, Sunbury, PA 17801 ljames@psu.edu, 570-988-3950

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided or other questions, please contact course instructor and registered dietitian Lynn James, M.S, R.D., Penn State Extension Northumberland County at (570) 988-3950 or via email at Ljames@psu.edu in advance of your participation or visit. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.