The New Balance Foundation has awarded a $100,000 grant to Regis College School of Nursing and Health Professions to establish a program at Mt. Saint Joseph Academy (MSJA) in Brighton to fight childhood obesity. The Get Fit, Get Balanced program will focus on promoting fitness and wellness among MSJAs students, many of whom experience the national challenge of weight control, diet and nutrition affecting American children and youth.
The target population for the proposed program is the community of 9-12 grade students enrolled at MSJA as of the projects proposed start date of Fall, 2008. As of January 31, 2008, 266 students were enrolled at MSJA. Of the 242 students for whom BMI (Body Mass Index) data are available, 40% are overweight or obese. These data were collected by faculty and students from the Regis College Nursing Program onsite at MSJA through the established School-based Health Services Program.
Key components of the Get Fit, Get Balanced program are individualized student health assessments and the development and implementation of individualized wellness plans, including nutritional modification, structured exercise plans, and wellness education.
Participation in the program will be made available to all students in the school. “At the beginning of the school year, students will have a baseline health assessment, which will include BMI assessment, blood pressure measurement, endurance testing, and nutrition assessment,” explained Marybeth Lamb, Regis Director of Athletics, Health, and Fitness. Individualized wellness plans will be developed which may include exercise and/or nutritional programs.
Exercise programming will feature age-appropriate strength training, aerobic exercise (group and individual, including dance) and mind/body type classes such as yoga. In keeping with MSJAs health education curriculum and the Health and Wellness course taught to sophomores, Get Fit, Get Balanced will have a particular focus on engagement with this class, and track their progress through their senior year.
