Grant: Operating Grant - PA: Inst of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes -Bridge Funding

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) refers to a group of factors (high cholesterol, sugars, and blood pressure, and being overweight) that increase the risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and their complications. In Canada, 20% of adults have metabolic syndrome. People with MetS have been shown to have double the annual health care costs and higher frequency of services than those without MetS. The high rate of MetS, along with an aging population translates into enormous financial burden for health systems, patients and families. Progression of MetS to diabetes and heart disease can be significantly reduced by change in diet and exercise. Unfortunately, applying the research related to lifestyle interventions has been low amongst family doctors. This is due to various challenges such as lack of time, resources, and training amongst family doctors. Canadian Health Advanced by Nutrition and Graded Exercise (CHANGE) developed a program that builds upon previous diet and exercise research. This program can be delivered by a team of health professionals (dietitian, kinesiologist and family physician) within a primary care setting. The CHANGE intervention overcomes the challenges found in primary care by providing a program that patients can easily access when visiting their family doctor. A pilot study has shown the CHANGE program can be implemented within primary care settings with positive results. It is now important to evaluate the effectiveness of this intervention in reversing MetS within a variety of settings. If the CHANGE intervention can be shown effective in reversing MetS in diverse settings, widespread implementation could save millions of dollars for Canadians and the health care system relating to medications and procedures for these expensive medical conditions.