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Grant Enables HV Hospital to Add Exercise Equipment, Designed for the Obese, at the Wellness Club
$The Wellness Club, an affiliate of Hudson Valley Hospital Center, is adding new exercise equipment designed for the obese, thanks to a $10,000 grant from Wachovia Bank. "It's very important that overweight and obese individuals exercise on equipment that can properly support them," says Joanne Campbell, Director of the Wellness Club. "Hudson Valley Hospital Center believes there is an important role for community hospitals to play in the fight against obesity. Exercising on appropriate equipment, combined with proper nutrition, is a step in the right direction." With the Wachovia grant, the hospital purchased a treadmill with a weight capacity of 400 pounds.
"We are now researching other types of equipment, such as recumbent steppers and bicycles," says Campbell. "For some obese, the worst thing they can do is to get on a treadmill because their legs and ankles are already challenged to support their weight. So exercising sitting down, on a recumbent stepper or bicycle, is a better choice for them. They get plenty of exercise pumping their arms and legs,"
Campbell said. HVHC has been running a successful weight loss program at the Wellness Club for adults for three years. "As the first hospital with a comprehensive nonsurgical weight loss program, the community understands that we care about their health," said Campbell. "It is the only medical facility in the area offering a program that combines nutritional counseling, behavior modifications, and exercise in a fitness facility."
HVHC also offers a similar program for students, ages 9 to 17. "It is so important to get kids on the right track early in life," Campbell said. "An estimated 30 percent of children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 are overweight and at risk for disease. That is three times what it was in 1980, according to the Centers for Disease Control. This epidemic has led to an increase in hypertension, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, orthopedic problems, asthma, sleep apnea, and depression."
Hudson Valley Hospital Center's Wellness Club is a medical fitness facility that offers the tools and support needed to achieve optimal wellness. By including exercise and healthy changes in lifestyle behavior, members can reduce their risk of disease as well as experience the benefits of a more active and conscious lifestyle.
Hudson Valley Hospital Center is located on Route 202 (1980 Crompond Road) in Cortlandt Manor, New York. Call 914-737-9000 or visit www.hvhc.org.
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