Shop at Loblaws, get your heart checked

Loblaw Companies is giving customers a free healthy heart check at its stores this week.

The 20-minute check by a pharmacist is designed to give shoppers a personalized picture of their key heart disease risk factors.

"Ninety per cent of Canadians have at least one major cardiovascular risk factor, and talking to our pharmacists could be an important first step in taking action," said Bobbi Reinholdt, senior vice-president of pharmacy at Loblaw.

This pharmacist-administered assessment involves answering lifestyle and family history questions, as well as a blood pressure and cholesterol test.

In addition, registered dietitians at certain Loblaw stores are giving shoppers information about eating heart healthy.

The heart checks are being done at participating pharmacies inside Loblaws, Zehrs, Extra Foods, Atlantic Superstore, Real Canadian Superstore and Your Independent Grocer stores.

They're also at Dominion stores in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Unilever's Becel Centre for Heart Health partnered with Loblaw on the program. The clinics were held on March 23.