Health Education 200

HLTH 200: Wellness Lifestyles

Credit Hours: (3) Two hours lecture, two hours physical activity per week with laboratory assessment

Provides students with the knowledge and skills to keep themselves healthy and fit for life. The lecture provides information on health knowledge. The activity classes introduce a variety of fitness skills and techniques in order to help the individual pursue lifetime fitness. The laboratory assessments provide personal health/wellness data. All three components are integrated to promote a commitment to a wellness lifestyle.

Note(s): This course has been approved for Core Curriculum credit in Health and Wellness.

 

Detailed Description of Content of Course

This course is intended to develop knowledge and skills that will enable students to keep themselves healthy and fit for life. This is accomplished by integrating the areas of wellness assessment, fitness assessment, personal health education, and a variety of physical fitness, sport and leisure skills. Lectures provide information on stress management, chronic and acute diseases, substance abuse, fitness, nutrition, weight management and consumer health issues.

 

Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

"Wellness Lifestyles" has three distinct components:

1. Health/wellness lectures (two hours per week)

The lecture portion of the course incorporates multi-media presentations, discussion, personal assessment activities, and a variety of investigation techniques to assist students in analyzing their present and future health risks. Behavior projects/case studies are used to encourage and guide students through the process of improving health/wellness related behaviors.

2. Physical activity labs (two hours per week)

Activity labs offer students an opportunity to participate in six different physical activities throughout the semester. Activities include but are not limited to weight training, aqua conditioning, circuit training, and aerobic conditioning activities.

3. Wellness/fitness assessment

Assessment activities include a physical fitness evaluation and a blood lipid profile test.

 

Goals and Objectives of the Course

By the completion of this course students should be able to:

  • identify personal risk factors by interpreting evaluation data concerning their hereditary, physiological, behavioral, and fitness parameters that can affect their present and future health and wellness
  • acquire knowledge and skills necessary to identify and manage stress
  • develop knowledge and understanding of proper nutrition and maintenance of appropriate body weight
  • develop an understanding of the prevention, identification and treatment of chronic diseases such as coronary disease, cancer, and diabetes
  • develop an understanding of the effects of specific substances on the body such as alcohol, tobacco products, caffeine, and drugs (prescription, over the counter, and "street drugs")
  • provide an understanding of infectious diseases and how they can be prevented
  • develop an understanding of environmental awareness and the effect environment has on each dimension of wellness
  • develop a variety of physical skills that can be incorporated in maintaining health and fitness
  • develop a variety of sport, recreational and leisure skills that will enable them to enjoy and safely participate in such activities for life
  • apply information regarding positive lifestyle choices

Broad General Education Goals

By the completion of this course students should be able to:

  • think critically and creatively about ideas, issues, problems and texts concerning the dimensions of personal wellness
  • demonstrate the use of a variety of research methods and styles of inquiry necessary for acquiring and interpreting health related information
  • use appropriate computer technologies such as dietary analysis, health risk appraisals, and behavior monitoring to assist in communicating ideas and solving problems concerning personal health status
  • work in focus groups with the purpose of developing skills and tactics to change health related behaviors
  • identify the personal and cultural values that shape decisions in public, professional, and private life, and assess the ethical implications of those choices related to health and quality of life issues

Goals for Area 3 - Health and Wellness

By the completion of this course students should be able to:

  • identify how familial and cultural beliefs and values influence decisions made concerning one's health/wellness
  • promote personal well being and enhance the overall quality of life through synthesis and application of health related information in making improved health related choices
  • investigate and apply health related information through behavior modification contracting or case study development that relates a variety of wellness factors such as nutrition, stress, and leisure as they influence personal health/wellness decisions
  • understand how personal health and lifestyle choices affect society at large through class discussions concerning health care systems, moral and ethical health issues, financial aspects of chronic illnesses, etc.

 

Assessment Measures

Evaluation of student performance in both the course-specific objectives and the General Education objectives will include the following measures:

Lecture

  • Graded and ungraded homework assignments. Assignments are designed to measure creative and critical thinking skills as well as identify factual information. These assignments may include in-class writing assignments, behavior modification projects, case studies, dietary analysis, and health risk appraisals.
  • Quizzes and tests are used to measure student knowledge and understanding of course material.

Activity Labs

  • Participation is necessary for learning the physical skills taught in activity classes: therefore, attendance is required.
  • An objective test is given at the end of the semester to measure student understanding of the components and principles of health related physical activity.

Assessment Activities

  • Participation is required for the physical fitness evaluation. Following the evaluation students are required to complete an assignment that emphasizes the application of the principles of health related fitness.
  • Blood lipid testing is done so students can critically evaluate their present lipid profile with future risk of developing atherosclerosis. Should a student prefer not to have the lipid testing done, they may select to write a research paper on the topic of blood lipids.

 

Other Course Information

Students are responsible for the cost of the blood lipid profile test.

 

Review and Approval

September 2001 Reviewed Gib Darden