Stevens Alumnus, Professor Working Together To Fight Obesity With Switch2Health Products

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: IT / Internet / E-mail
Article Date: 17 Jul 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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Seth A. Tropper, past co-founder of the successful Stevens spin-off Plasma Sol and current CEO of Switch2Health (S2H), and Dr. S. Vincent Grasso, a Stevens Institute of Technology Adjunct Professor and Healthcare IT Management Advisory Board member, have joined forces to extend the value of the S2H product line.

S2H's proprietary sensor technology placed within a wrist-worn device will identify and quantify physical activity and this, coupled with a web-based rewards system, will motivate individuals of all ages to be physically active and lead a healthier lifestyle.

"Overweight and obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the US , as well as worldwide. According to national data, it is estimated that 65% of Americans are now overweight or obese. Switch2Health will enable individuals to build value and to benefit from their own physical activity," Tropper explained. "By increasing participation in physical activity, S2H will change the behavior and improve the health of individuals which is partially responsible for an obesity epidemic in the US and around the world."

"Obesity is a significant health risk that goes well beyond the social limitations imposed by excessive weight, including diabetes, heart disease, increased cancer risk, arthritis, and depression. It is not limited to the adult population but is gaining prevalence amid the pediatric populations worldwide. The team at S2H has created a simple and easy to understand approach to assisting the masses in realizing that physical activity is a key component of the pathway to wellness. We at LGS look forward to bringing value to S2H during their commercialization phase," stated Grasso, executive vice president for Global Healthcare Solutions at Lanco Global Solutions, Ltd. (LGS).

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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About Swith2Health Corporation

Switch2HealthTM Corporation (S2H), founded in November 2005, is an early stage developer of unique technologies and programs that will challenge the epidemic of overweight and obesity. Switch2Health is creating "The New Currency of Health," which will enable individuals to build value and to benefit from their own physical activity. By increasing participation in physical activity, Switch2Health will change the behavior and improve the health of individuals which is partially responsible for an epidemic in the US and around the world. The epidemic is: overweight and obesity.

About Lanco Global Systems Ltd. (LGS)

LGS, an affiliation of the US $3-billion diversified conglomerate LANCO Group, is a public company Headquartered in Hyderabad , India , with US offices in Dallas , Atlanta and Princeton , and includes offices in London and Dubai . The company's global clientele includes Fortune 500 companies and Government Agencies. The company has approximately 1,000 consultants, database administrators, engineers, and subject matter experts deployed worldwide and an IT services capability via 500 dedicated software developers and engineers within their offshore facility located in Hyderabad , India . LGS has an exceptional track record of providing high quality, on-budget, and on-time solutions to demanding clients. Their business knowledge in key verticals such as financial services, healthcare, life sciences, chemical and government agencies helps them provide solutions that are customized to address specific needs while focusing on maximizing value of information technology investments such that clients can achieve their business objectives. The company believes in fostering long-term relationships, and partnering with clients in their success.

About Stevens Institute of Technology

Founded in 1870, Stevens Institute of Technology is one of the leading technological universities in the world dedicated to learning and research. Through its broad-based curricula, nurturing of creative inventiveness, and cross disciplinary research, the Institute is at the forefront of global challenges in engineering, science, and technology management. Partnerships and collaboration between, and among, business, industry, government and other universities contribute to the enriched environment of the Institute. A new model for technology commercialization in academe, known as Technogenesis®, involves external partners in launching business enterprises to create broad opportunities and shared value.

Stevens offers baccalaureates, master's and doctoral degrees in engineering, science, computer science and management, in addition to a baccalaureate degree in the humanities and liberal arts, and in business and technology. The university has a total enrollment of 2,040 undergraduate and 3,085 graduate students, and a worldwide online enrollment of 2,250, with a full-time tenured/tenure-track faculty of 140 and more than 200 full-time special faculty. Stevens' graduate programs have attracted international participation from China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America. Additional information may be obtained from its web page at http://www.stevens.edu/.

Source: Stephanie Mannino
Stevens Institute of Technology