CARDIAC program in West Kentucky: a retrospective data analysis.

Obesity is a leading contributing factor resulting in a multitude of health problems for adults and children throughout the United States. Kentucky statistics reveal 37.1% of children aged 10-17 as being classified as overweight and obese. Obesity in children increases the risk for cardiovascular and other health conditions such as high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes. In order to better understand obesity and cardiovascular risks of children in Western Kentucky, several community organizations formed a partnership to assess the risks of fourth grade children. This partnership consisted of collaboration between multiple health care organizations to assess body mass index, fitness scores, capillary glucose and cholesterol, and blood pressure. This article explains the findings from a retrospective data analysis related to this implementation program.