Scaling the mountain, one step at a time

Children in Grades 3-4 at St. Pat's Alexander School participate in the Everest Project. (David Grandy Photo)

Fighting the obesity epidemic is a daunting task. Nova Scotia has one of the highest rates of chronic disease due to obesity and inactivity in Canada.

But this spring, first- and second-year Dalhousie medical students helped fourth graders across Halifax Regional Municipality take steps in the right direction.

The 170 enthusiastic med students paired up to visit 45 different elementary schools – 85 classes in total – as a part of the “Everest Project.” Run by students at Dalhousie Medical School since 2002, the goal is to educate elementary school kids about healthy living.

Armed with pamphlets, games, information, and prizes, the Dalhousie students spent an hour and a half in the classroom teaching Grade 4 students about eating right and exercising through fun and interactive activities. They gave the kids a crash course in the anatomy of the respiratory system, let them use stethoscopes to listen to their own heartbeat, went over healthy food choices and suggested everyday ways to stay active, reminding the kids that an organized sports isn't their only option. Doing chores, playing tag and walking to school can all be a part of a physically active lifestyle.

“It’s a great way to start implementing preventative medicine into the community,” says first-year med student John Morash. He was enthusiastic about the Everest Project—a challenge to each child to live better. For each step they took towards healthier living, they put a sticker on a picture of a mountain. Each sticker was a step towards the peak.

Steps included participating in a new physical activity, increasing the number of fruits and vegetables eaten per day, and cutting down on weekly “screen time”—time spent in front of the TV or computer. In other words, by engaging in healthy lifestyles, the kids could climb their own Mount Everest.

“I think it’s a really great initiative,” says Sarah Dobrowolski, one of the medical students who took part in the Everest Project, “especially (to reach them) at that age.” With over a third of all Canadians now identifiably overweight or obese, it is important to teach children good habits before they form bad ones.

However, the school system must be given credit: the information was not new to the kids.

“Surprisingly, they knew a lot already,” says Ms. Dobrowolski, and her sentiment is echoed by other participants. The important part is reinforcing why healthy living is a must.

The Everest Project is as beneficial to the aspiring doctors as it is for the kids. “There’s a lot more involved in being a doctor than just prescribing meds,” says Meena Natarajan, a second-year med student.

Ms. Natarajan suggests though the Everest Project is a great step in itself, more could be done.

“Is it a great initiative?” she muses, “Yes. Can it be reinforced all the time? Yes.”

LINK: Dalhousie Medical Student Society