Health fair promotes prevention
Raises concerns to help students
Kimberly Garcia
Issue date: 3/30/09 Section: News
Rising concerns regarding health and the importance of wellness and prevention of chronic diseases will be featured at the Spring Health Fair sponsored by East Houston Regional Medical Center.
North's student center will set up several tables sharing health information regarding the common questions and concerns about health issues.
Sonya Anderson, the employers relations manager at the medical center, said that faculty and students will have the opportunity to walk around the student center and visit different booths sponsored by vendors and learn about the different aspects of wellness.
The health fair, which began 17 years ago, was originally held for the faculty and employees. Eventually, students were invited to participate. Students have a vested interest in these issues as many gain weight in the college years.
Obesity and poor diet can often be synonymous ith a typical college lifestyle. According to a University of New Hampshire study one third of UNH students were overweight or obese, and 60 percent of the male students tested had high blood pressure. In addition, two-thirds of the women tested were not getting enough calcium, iron or foliate in their diets.
This is aggravated by a typically sedentary college lifestyle, the survey showed that among these New Hampshire collegians 23 percent of men and 34 percent of women reported participating in less than a half hour of physical activity per day.
Terry Daugherty, wellness director at North campus, said that students need to start practicing wellness right now.
"Most students have terrible diets and minimal physical activity," Daugherty said. "This is a great recipe for heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer."
Because of the epidemic of obesity, Anderson said that we need to work on getting the awareness out.
"If we can find signs and prevent diseases before they happen, then it will be a lot less cost on our healthcare," Anderson said.
Along with vendors, a blood drive will also be held. Faculty, staff, and students are able to donate as long as they make an appointment at the Commit for Life website.
"The main focus for me is that people become proactive in their healthcare instead of being reactive," Anderson said. "I think if we focus on what we can do to keep ourselves healthy then the less we have to depend on others doing it for us."
North's student center will set up several tables sharing health information regarding the common questions and concerns about health issues.
Sonya Anderson, the employers relations manager at the medical center, said that faculty and students will have the opportunity to walk around the student center and visit different booths sponsored by vendors and learn about the different aspects of wellness.
The health fair, which began 17 years ago, was originally held for the faculty and employees. Eventually, students were invited to participate. Students have a vested interest in these issues as many gain weight in the college years.
Obesity and poor diet can often be synonymous ith a typical college lifestyle. According to a University of New Hampshire study one third of UNH students were overweight or obese, and 60 percent of the male students tested had high blood pressure. In addition, two-thirds of the women tested were not getting enough calcium, iron or foliate in their diets.
This is aggravated by a typically sedentary college lifestyle, the survey showed that among these New Hampshire collegians 23 percent of men and 34 percent of women reported participating in less than a half hour of physical activity per day.
Terry Daugherty, wellness director at North campus, said that students need to start practicing wellness right now.
"Most students have terrible diets and minimal physical activity," Daugherty said. "This is a great recipe for heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer."
Because of the epidemic of obesity, Anderson said that we need to work on getting the awareness out.
"If we can find signs and prevent diseases before they happen, then it will be a lot less cost on our healthcare," Anderson said.
Along with vendors, a blood drive will also be held. Faculty, staff, and students are able to donate as long as they make an appointment at the Commit for Life website.
"The main focus for me is that people become proactive in their healthcare instead of being reactive," Anderson said. "I think if we focus on what we can do to keep ourselves healthy then the less we have to depend on others doing it for us."
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