Fair educates, promotes health
An apple a day may not do everything to keep the doctor away – but every bite counts.
Sponsored by the Health Education Association of Utat State University, a health fair took place Monday, Oct. 25 under the theme, “promoting healthy, happy lifestyles.”
“We wanted to do a service project,” president of the association Carrie Mathis said. Mathis said the organization wanted to do things to let people know about how to get healthy and how to stay healthy.
The fair made information available about alcohol, including pamphlets on responsible drinking. Information at some of the booths elaborated on the effects of alcohol and let students try on “beer goggles” to simulate the effects of alcohol at different levels.
“One is .08, one is .12, and they’re both illegal in Utah,” Andrea Tureley, a senior majoring in health education, said.
Tureley was demonstrating the effects of alcohol by letting students wear the goggles and throwing a ball to them or letting them dribble a basketball on a line.
Most students had noticeably reduced motor skills when they had the goggles on.
Adrienne Bruce, a sophomore majoring in history, tried on the goggles.
“I’ve never been drunk, so it’s interesting to see how weird everything looked,” she said.
Bruce also said she learned about healthy portion sizes when eating and other ways to eat healthy at the fair.
According to information offered at one booth, a healthy serving for red meat, poultry or fish is 3 oz. – about the size of a deck of playing cards.
There was also a booth to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI uses height and weight to measure body fat.
“I’m doing tips on how to manage your weight,” April Larsen, a junior majoring in nursing, said.
Larsen said she was trying to show ways on how to successfully lose weight and how to overcome plateaus when trying to lose weight.
A handout explained when those trying to lose weight hit a plateau, it could be that he/she is eating the amount of calories it takes to maintain their current weight.
To overcome plateaus, the pamplet advised lowering calorie intake further or increasing physical activity. Those trying to lose weight should only reduce calories moderately while gradually increasing exercise.
Multipling weight by 10 calories per pound and adding more calories according to how active a person is should give a good indication of how many calories a person should consume every day.
Another booth displayed colorful pictures created by the fourth and fifth grade classes at Edith Bowen Elementary School. Students were asked to illustrate the theme “Every Bite Counts.” Visitors of the fair could vote on the pictures. The top pictures will be made into a calendar for the food pantry in Logan.
The fair also had super foods, which are foods that contain vitamins, minerals, and micro-nutrients naturally associated in nature. Most vegetables, fruits, grains and nuts are super foods.
The USU Dietetics Program offered information about the food guide pyramid and gave suggestions for eating more nutritionally dense foods.
The USU Student Health and Wellness Center provided information about the importance of hydration.
The Student Health and Wellness Center is a medical clinic that provides health information. They offer a pharmacy, physical exams, men’s and women’s health care, X-rays, nutrition counseling and more. The center is located north of Romney Stadium.
-sdobson@cc.usu.edu
Senior Rebecca Menlove wears beer goggles as she wobbles through the rope course. (Photo by Jessica Alexander)