Photo by Melissa Walters, Director of Wellness & Engagement, YP4H
The 2013 State of Health and Wellness in Buckeye Nation address revealed some early results from our Personal Health and Well-Being Assessments (PHAs). From onCampus:
More than 28,000 employees completed the [PHA], and 61 percent of them were either overweight or obese while 25 percent reported cholesterol levels greater than 200.
Bernadette Melnyk, Ohio State’s chief wellness officer, associate vice president for health promotion and dean of the College of Nursing, said that while 61 percent overweight/obesity is lower than the national average of 69.2 percent, it’s “still a cause for concern.”
Given that Ohio is one of the 10 fattest states in the U.S., we have a long way to go toward health and wellness. Now that we have some data, at least, we can think about ways to improve. I like this quote from Larry Lewellen, vice president of care coordination and health promotion:
“Our challenge is to be healthier next year than we are this year, and that’s a huge challenge,” he said. “As my wife would say, ‘You’re not any better looking, and you only have three hairs left, but you sure are healthy.’ The only way we’re going to be healthier next year than this year is at a grassroots levels; it’s not an ivory tower thing or a website or a program. It’s about people and what they do every day — to eat healthier and be more active in your department, in your office, at your home, with your family. It’s got to be a way of life.”
In other news, all Rec Sports classes are now free for Rec Sports members (there used to be an additional fee on top of membership). This policy grew out of the Buckeye Wellness Innovators program begun last year.
