StrongWomen Healthy Hearts

StrongWomen – Healthy Hearts is a cardiovascular disease prevention curriculum that aims to help midlife women reduce their risk of heart disease through fitness and nutrition education.

The curriculum is designed for women midlife and older (40+) who currently get very little or no exercise. Each class lasts approximately 1 hour. Half of class includes leader-directed discussion around eating for heart health and hands-on cooking activities. The curriculum emphasizes an eating pattern that is rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat or nonfat dairy, fish, whole grains, and legumes; it encourages leaner meats and poultry, and fewer refined carbohydrates and saturated and trans fats. During the other half of class, participants engage in aerobic activity by walking outside or dancing to a DVD.

More information on StrongWomen Healthy Hearts can be viewed here: StrongPeople Living Well.

Funding: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Peer reviewed articles: 

• The StrongWomen–Healthy Hearts program in Pennsylvania: RE-AIM analysis
• The StrongWomen–Healthy Hearts program: reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors in rural sedentary, overweight, and obese midlife and older women