Cardiovision 20/20
Seeking to eliminate the threat of disease and improve the overall health of students, the dietetics program of Utah State University has initiated a community outreach program to ensure longevity and health.
Patterned after a program which originated in the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., CardioVision 2020 is a “preventative medicine” program which asks participants to implement five simple lifestyle goals into everyday living, said Megan Bunch, a senior majoring in nutrition science.
Bunch is employed by the Mayo Clinic but attends USU full time. She has worked on CardioVision 2020 for the past two and one-half years and was recently asked by the Mayo Clinic to begin a chapter of the program at USU.
Bunch said the five goals CardioVision 2020 asks participants to implement include: Eating five servings of fruits and vegetables per day and eating only lean meats and low-fat dairy products; and engaging in 30 minutes of physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week. Participants will also be committing to a tobacco-free lifestyle and zero exposure to environmental tobacco smoke; to know and be aware of one’s total cholesterol level; and lastly, to know one’s blood pressure numbers.
Director of the dietetics program Noreen Schvaneveldt said the goal of CardioVision 2020 is “to be able to reduce the incidence of heart disease over time and also to see a reduction in cholesterol and high blood pressure.”
Bunch said they hope to accomplish this goal by the year 2020.
CardioVision 2020 will be “kicking off” the program with a 5K fun run to be held Saturday, Bunch said. Registration will begin at the HPER Building at 8:30 a.m.
The program is free of charge and will include nutrition counseling through the Student Wellness Center and Student Health Center, cooking demonstrations, health fairs and incentives such as cash awards and various other prizes for participants who stick with the program.
Approximately 25 dietetics majors and three advisers are working on publicizing and organizing the program to ensure its success, Bunch said.
Beth Hyatt, a senior majoring in dietetics, is working with the program and is looking forward to seeing students become involved.
“I think once people realize the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the goals naturally follow,” she said.
Bunch is optimistic the program will take off and really be a success in the valley. She projects the program will eventually extend beyond USU students to include all of Cache County.
The Mayo Clinic designed CardioVision 2020 “because heart disease and other coronary diseases are escalating in epidemic proportions and the cost of health care is skyrocketing,” Bunch said.
To combat this growing concern, the Mayo Clinic began “this preventative program to eliminate disease before it happens,” Bunch said.
For further information on CardioVision 2020 or to become involved in the program, e-mail Cardiovision@cc.usu.edu.