Grant: Knowledge Translation Supplement

Our research group developed the MyHealthCheckUp.com website to estimate the risk of developing heart attacks and strokes. The risk assessments available on the website have been proven to help patients and health professionals improve the management of conditions such as high cholesterol and hypertension. It is also now endorsed by Canadian treatment guidelines. In 2009 we completed a CIHR funded project to estimate the impact of weight reduction among Canadians who are overweight. Accordingly, the primary objective of this study was to develop a computer model to estimate the impact of obesity on the health and life expectancy of Canadians. To complete this task we had to estimate the risk of developing both diabetes and cardiovascular disease due to increased body weight. Although funding was only for one year, we have subsequently spent the past two years improving the precision of this model by completing extensive validation studies. The resulting CardioMetabolic Life Expectancy Model can now be shown to accurately estimate the impact of health conditions such as obesity, cigarette smoking, hypertension or high cholesterol on life expectancy as a result of developing the complications of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in Canadian men and women. We will now develop a user friendly website to allow Canadian researchers and health professionals to evaluate this disease model as a clinical aid for modifying an unhealthy lifestyle. For instance a physician might engage a patient in a discussion surrounding the health risks associated with smoking or being overweight while an occupational health nurse might use the website to encourage office employees to walk more often during their breaks. A website providing access to a scientifically validated computer model could substantially increase awareness surrounding the medical problems associated with being overweight. More importantly it may also help motivate individuals to change their lifestyle habits.