Dr. Doug Klein is committed to helping people make healthy changes.
Being healthy is important, but it isn't always easy. Extended daily commutes, long days sitting at desks, easy access to prepared food, and the ever-present lure of the screen-whether it is a TV or a tablet-make it difficult to stick to resolutions to be healthier. Luckily, physicians like Doug Klein are working to provide support for people who want to make a change for the better. An associate professor with the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry's Department of Family Medicine, Klein has dedicated himself to offering a unique but simple approach to those who want to improve their health: getting back to the basics with good nutrition and an active, healthy lifestyle.
Klein's professional credentials include a medical degree and a master's degree in public health, but his belief in the health benefits of good eating habits and regular exercise comes from a personal place: diabetes mellitus runs in his father's side of the family. He is inspired by his father-who walks year-round and is still riding his bike even into his eighties-who Klein suspects would have developed diabetes long ago if not for his very healthy lifestyle. In his clinic, Klein sees many patients with health conditions that could be attributed to sedentary lifestyles, long work hours and too much time in front of computers and televisions. He has also noted a trend toward an increase in people consuming processed foods, or lacking the skills to cook altogether. He believes those patients could, like his father, avoid some health problems if they were supported in making changes to a healthier lifestyle.
A MOVE toward CHANGE
It was during a sabbatical in 2010 that Klein came to realize he wanted to increase his efforts in public health, which he sees as a natural progression from medicine; "It's health on a much larger scale," he explains. "I can have more impact by working outside of a clinic than seeing patients one by one." Subsequently, he co-founded MOVE, a group outdoor fitness program geared toward helping people improve their health. MOVE, which he leads with an exercise specialist from The Edmonton Oliver Primary Care Network, is open to the public and held twice a week in parks and communities in Edmonton.
Soon after MOVE began, Klein was introduced to Metabolic Syndrome Canada's Canadian Health Advanced by Nutrition and Graded Exercise (CHANGE) program. Aimed at patients whose health could be improved with nutrition and exercise interventions, CHANGE was exactly what the doctor ordered-teams of physicians, dieticians and kinesiologists collaborating to create personalized programs for patients in primary care. CHANGE was initiated by a gastroenterologist with an interest in nutrition research. When Klein got involved, he helped shape the program for family medicine. The initial CHANGE demonstration project, which began in late 2011, has shown positive results and Klein is now focusing his efforts on expanding the work that has already been done in three Canadian primary care settings to other clinics across Canada.
Klein's commitment to health does not end with MOVE and CHANGE. For him, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is continues to be a family affair. Jennifer Klein, his wife and an occupational therapist, started a running club at their children's school. "My wife has an amazing skill to teach healthy eating and active living to our children and those students at the school. I am constantly learning from her," he says.
Better Health Together
The visible benefits of nature experienced by the MOVE participants, the positive results for patients in the CHANGE program and his work with schools convinced Klein to expand his efforts to include the CHANGE Adventure Camp. The camp was inspired by Nature Deficit Disorder, a term coined by Richard Louv who suggests that the decrease in time spent in natural environments is having a detrimental impact on human beings. Families participating in the camp will learn skills including cooking, food selection, active living and benefits of nature. They will also receive long-term support and programming following the camp. In addition to children and families reconnecting with nature while learning about healthy eating and physical activity, Klein is optimistic the camp will create and enhance existing connections between health care agencies, schools and communities working toward the common goal of supporting healthy lifestyles.
To bring attention to the camp and to the benefits of getting out of the house and on the road to better health, Klein is challenging Edmonton to join him in climbing One Million Stairs (www.campchange.ca/#stairs) on September 16 and 17. He also invites participants to extend a friendly challenge to co-workers, friends and families to join in and get involved. By starting with a few simple steps, we can all help build a healthier community!
CHANGE
The CHANGE Program (now Metabolic Syndrome Canada) began as a five-university collaboration founded by Kursheed Jeejeebhoy, who found partners to help him work toward his vision of providing tools to help patients modify their lifestyles for the better.
MOVE
MOVE is a weekly outdoor fitness program providing Edmontonians with the opportunity to be physically active with a family physician and kinesiologist. The program runs twice a week in three locations throughout Edmonton. It's free to join.