{"id":5421,"date":"2010-10-06T15:05:14","date_gmt":"2010-10-06T20:05:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/?p=5421"},"modified":"2010-10-06T15:10:13","modified_gmt":"2010-10-06T20:10:13","slug":"new-online-program-helps-smokers-get-fit-and-chill-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2010\/10\/new-online-program-helps-smokers-get-fit-and-chill-out\/","title":{"rendered":"New online program helps smokers get fit and chill out"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Attending the Quit Run Chill launch were, from left, Brock President Jack Lightstone, researcher Kelli-an Lawrance, Jean-Marc Lalonde (Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health Promotion and Sport) and Charlene Bryant, Brock's Leave the Pack Behind team leader.<\/p><\/div>\n

The provincial government and Brock researchers have launched a new online program to help young smokers avoid smoking, be physically active and cope with stress.<\/p>\n

The “Quit Run Chill” program was developed with $26,000 from the Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport\u2019s Healthy Communities Fund. It is now being promoted on virtually all post-secondary campuses in Ontario and in many communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis initiative will help older youth and young adults establish and sustain a pattern of physical activity that will facilitate smoking cessation and reduce stress,\u201d said Kelli-an Lawrance, associate professor, Community Health Sciences. “Following the program on its own, or in combination with quitting, will ultimately reduce an individual\u2019s risk of hypertension, Type 2 diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases and contribute to positive mental health.”<\/p>\n

Leave The Pack Behind (LTPB), a province-wide peer-to-peer smoking cessation initiative housed at Brock and funded through the Government of Ontario\u2019s Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy, maintains the program.<\/p>\n

LTPB operates at all universities and almost all public colleges in Ontario and reaches more than 500,000 students, which accounts for 50 per cent of older youth\/young adults in the province.<\/p>\n

The launch of Quit Run Chill<\/a> at the Plaza Building was attended by Jean-Marc Lalonde, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health Promotion and Sport. The program, Lalonde said, “was created by students for students.”<\/p>\n

“This reaches thousands of students across the province with a healthy message: if you smoke, quit. If you’re not active, exercise. If you stress, relax,” he said.<\/p>\n

Post-secondary students, supported by Brock researchers and other expert consultants designed \u201cQuit Run Chill.\u201d The program is self-directed and includes eight weeks of fresh information, ideas and inspirations about quitting smoking, being active and reducing stress.<\/p>\n