Nine out of 10 Canadians have at least one major risk factor for heart disease and stroke – risk factors we have the power to change.
Nine out of 10 Canadians have at least one major risk factor for heart disease and stroke – risk factors we have the power to change.
"We're not talking about genetics, ethnicity or gender. We're talking about smoking, alcohol, physical activity, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes," says Ahmad Zbib, director of digital health and innovation at the Heart and Stroke Foundation (HSF).
But reducing risk requires changes in behaviour, something that human beings are notoriously ineffective at achieving. In fact, a recent online poll by Environics for the Heart and Stroke Foundation found that more than half of people who had suffered a heart attack or stroke said they'd been unable to stick with healthy changes – despite feeling that they'd been given a second chance.
Research has proven that there is "no one size fits all" solution to bridging the gap between intention and action, says Dr. Zbib, who leads HSF's digital behaviour change tools. "What might work for you will probably not work for me, because your environment, state of mind and your overall situation is different.
"That's how humans function – we respond to our environment and our emotional and physical states differently."
But behavioural science provides important clues into ways to support healthy changes, and with funding from Desjardins Insurance, the Heart and Stroke Foundation has translated that research into e-tools such as its online Risk Assessment and <30 Days app.
E-tools have the power to customize interventions to the current state of the individual, explains Dr. Zbib. "We've designed tools to assess risk on the fly, factoring in how people interact with their phones. Then they get to prioritize the risk factors they want to focus on," Dr. Zbib says.
"The app really helped with making small, manageable changes such as incorporating fruit into my diet and drinking more water. I love gadgets, so having a little 'coach' on my iPod really helped."
- Vicki Olatundun
One of the e-tools, the <30 Days app, demonstrates that it is possible to change behaviours and reduce risk by introducing simple changes into your life, he explains. "If you've prioritized nutrition, for example, the app will challenge you to have five to six servings of fruits and vegetables, providing recipes and tips on how to do that."
Individuals who have completed several challenges begin to feel much more confident about achieving their overall goals, and a sense of achievement fuels continued motivation. "The small wins ultimately build bigger wins," says Dr. Zbib.
Vicki Olatundun of Steinbach, Manitoba, used the app to help her reduce her weight along with her dangerously high blood pressure. After giving birth to her second child, she was hospitalized for five days after a routine blood pressure check revealed that she was in immediate danger of stroke.
Like most people who struggle with weight, Ms. Olatundun had tried many diets without lasting success. But with the motivation provided by the scare, her family and support from the <30 Days app, she was able to lose 90 pounds in 2013. Her blood pressure is now in the healthy zone, and her risk of heart attack or stroke has been significantly reduced.
"The app really helped with making small, manageable changes such as incorporating fruit into my diet and drinking more water. I love gadgets, so having a little 'coach' on my iPod really helped," she says. "It also set the habit of keeping track of things in motion, and that was very important, as habits are key to changing lifestyle."
It was the opportunity to contribute to successful risk reduction like that achieved by Ms. Olatundun that inspired Desjardins Insurance to partner with the Heart and Stroke Foundation in the development of some of its suite of e-tools, says Bill Packham, Desjardins' executive managing director, wealth management and life and health insurance.
"We wanted to support the foundation's vision of healthy lives, free of heart disease. They have many ways to realize that vision, but the critical piece for us is prevention – how can we at Desjardins help Canadians to get healthy and stay healthy?"
As a health insurance provider, the Desjardins team "sees the effects of heart disease on the lives Canadians every day," says Mr. Packham. "We definitely have a big picture perspective – the global impact of illness on the productivity of organizations and, ultimately, on the Canadian economy as a whole. But the big picture doesn't tell the real story: what happens to individuals and their families when heart disease strikes?"
Canadians need to know two primary facts about cardiovascular disease, he says. "First, 80 per cent of heart disease is preventable through healthy choices. Second, this preventable illness devastates the lives of the people who experience it. For them and for their loved ones, the repercussions are enormous – financially, physically and mentally."