MUSCATINE, Iowa – In an age of instant entertainment and fast food, medical professionals are wondering what affect it might be having on local youth.

That’s why the Muscatine Heart Center trailer has been parked behind West Middle School in Muscatine and will soon be seen at Central Middle School.

More than 400 students will take part in the new study, which will analyze body measurements, weight, blood pressure and blood levels like lipid and cholesterol.

“The participation rate has been higher than ever,” said Becky Furlong, assistant superintendent for Muscatine Community School District. “We’ve been pleased that parents have been very receptive and want to participate.”

With funding provided by the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, four examiners in the trailer will take blood samples and measurements and use that information later to determine what kind of health issues Muscatine youth may be facing.

“Prevention is the key,” said Jeni Michelson, the Muscatine Heart Study coordinator. “A balanced diet, moderate exercise and annual check-ups with a healthcare provider are always a good way to catch things before they become a problem.

“Survival is highly increased if you can prevent it rather than deal with it afterwards,” Michelson said of diseases such as obesity and high blood pressure.

The Muscatine Heart Study, which started in 1970 at Muscatine schools, is one of the oldest and most longitudinal studies in the country, she said.

According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 30 to 40 percent of children are overweight or obese.

Superintendent Bill Decker said the Muscatine Heart Center work will not only help children and families on an individual basis but provide insight to the health of the community at large.

“It’s something we’re happy to cooperate with and help our community in medical research to move forward and help not only our own kids, but kids everywhere,” Decker said.

In Iowa, health-consciousness has moved to a new level with the creation of the Healthy Kids Act, signed by Gov. Chet Culver in 2008.

The act focuses on physical education requirements for students in  kindergarten through high school, and limits unhealthy food sold on school grounds.

Of the 400 participants in the study, 80 will be brought back for further testing.

Though the Muscatine Heart Center tests only people who fall in the category of their “projects,” Michelson said, she encourages anyone qualified to sign-up.

“Hopefully we can use this data and information about us and our community to put into our classes,” Furlong said. “Hopefully we can impact the choices that students make, to help them develop habits to help lead to a healthy lifestyle as adults.”

Details

The study

The Muscatine Heart Center study began in 1970, as an effort by Dr. Ronald Lauer and his colleagues at The University of Iowa. The study was conducted at Grant Elementary School in Muscatine and is the longest running cardiovascular study for children in the United States.

For the past three decades, the study has looked at specific groups of people, and this year it’s focusing on middle-school and pre-teens.

Jeni Michelson, coordinator of the Muscatine Heart Study, said many students are likely related to the first 1970 batch of students, which will provide hereditary links.

Students in the study will not only receive information about their health status, but $20 in Pearl City Dollars to help re-invest in the community.

Online

For more information on this year’s study, visit http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/muscatine/home.shtml