“Living Well,” a new pilot course offered by the Department of Allied Health Sciences and the Thibodaux Regional Medical Center, is designed to promote physical fitness and weight control and help students maintain a healthy lifestyle that will reduce their risk of obesity-related diseases later in life. The course includes a variety of components, such as lifestyle coaching, nutrition, fitness training and a preventative health class.
Simone Camel, program faculty chair, said the goal of the course is to promote healthier lifestyles to students not only in the classroom, but outside it as well.
“Thibodaux Regional Medical Center wanted to join with Nicholls to present a community outreach to prevent obesity,” Camel said.
“Several months ago, we approached Nicholls about sponsoring this special course and received a positive response,” Greg Stock, CEO of Thibodaux Regional, said in a press release. “We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with Nicholls to address an important community health issue.”
In a recent project done by Celeste Chauvin, dietetics senior from Schriever, she found that more than 58 percent of Nicholls freshmen experience weightgain and may benefit from healthier meal options and meal preparation education.
In another project done by Lauren Arcement, dietetics senior from Bourg, she found that many snack foods in Nicholls vending machines did not meet the Louisiana school wellness policy guidelines.
“I think we are going to see improvements,” Camel said. “Students would benefit from healthier choices.”
Camel said many students have participated in yoga and salsa aerobics and started to wear pedometers to monitor their progress.
“I think it’s a great program,” Arcement said. “It focuses on overall health.”
Two Nintendo Wii systems and copies of “Wii Fit” are also available for participants in the course to take with them to their residence halls.
“Some students have already lost weight, and changed their eating habits,” Camel said. “Classes have increased significantly because of the students in them. Some have had friends come to participate in the exercises with them.”
A multi-disciplinary team, including members from various departments, instructs the current classes. Mike Matherne, director of campus recreation and Dennis Guillot, assistant professor of teacher education will join members from the Department of Allied Health to complete the board.
While the grade in the course is based mostly on participation, a percentage will come from different areas. Camel said record keeping and the possibility of one or two quizzes will also factor into a student’s final grade.
The course is worth three credit hours and, depending on a student’s major, can either meet a physical education requirement or upper level elective.
“This course is being used as a catalyst for a number of other things,” Camel said. “We hope to see an increased number of exercise opportunities and more food options on campus.”
While this semester’s “Living Well,” course is only available to Nicholls residents, the fall offering will be open to all students.
“The course is hopefully on its way to becoming a full program,” Camel said. “We want it to have a permanent home at Nicholls.
