Skating together for FIT-HEART
On Saturday 7 February the Dutch Heart Foundation will organize the first edition of IJsbrekers (Icebreakers): a skating event raising money for research into cardiovascular disease. The proceeds from this event will benefit the FIT-HEART research program.FIT-HEART is a national research program led by Radboud University Medical Center, Amsterdam UMC, and Leiden University.
Within this program, Leiden University is responsible for work package 1, which focuses on developing and testing an innovative exercise program that supports people with (an increased risk of) cardiovascular disease to remain physically active in the long term.
This work package, lead by Linda Breeman, specifically focuses on using social rewards and motivation from the social environment to encourage and maintain healthy exercise behavior. The Dutch Heart Foundation (Hartstichting) contributes directly to this ongoing research through IJsbrekers (Icebreakers).
FIT-HEART is a good example of how research at Leiden University is linked to societal initiatives with a direct impact on public health.