Editor’s Note: This week marks the first in a three-part, biweekly news section series examining the health and fitness of college students.

For many students, college brings newfound independence: you get to do what you want, go where you please and eat whatever tempts your palate.

While this freedom can be delightfully refreshing, it also means making your own lifestyle choices.

By the time the school year is over, students often realize that a treat or two here, or a few drinks there, added up to a lot more then they expected.

Weight gain is just one of the health-related issues that affect college students, and Sacramento State’s Student Health Center staff members are making it their goal to create a more health-friendly campus.

The newly revamped Eating and Healthy Weight Program will hold its grand opening on Nov. 1 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Student Health Connection in the University Union.

This wellness-oriented program, which was originally launched in 2003 to address eating disorder-related issues, aims to provide integrated health education and services to all students, regardless of concerns.

The staff includes an exercise physiologist, health psychologist, clinical nutritionist and health education assistant.

Joyce Harris, director of the Student Health Center, said the program will be able to address a wide spectrum of needs.

“We will be able to help those who do have eating disorders, those who would like to lose a few pounds, those who would like to improve their strength or cardiovascular fitness and those who are obese,” said Harris. “We are really broadening the program to open it up to all students.”

The center opening comes at a good time, in light of new research released by Brown University at the Oct. 22 meeting of the Obesity Society, which revealed that college students are adopting unhealthy lifestyle habits that lead to gradual weight gain.

The study, which weighed 907 Purdue University students several times over a two-year period, found that while college students gained less than the long-thought “freshman 15,” they continued to gain weight well into their sophomore years.

An average of 7.8 pounds was gained as freshmen, while at the end of the sophomore year, females were an average 9.2 pounds heavier and males were 9.5 pounds heavier than the beginning of their college years.

The Eating and Healthy Program aims to show students how healthy lifestyle changes can help them avoid getting caught in this camp.

The program’s funding comes from mandatory health fees, and services are available to Sac State students at no cost.

“There will be no increase in cost, and it will be absolutely free to students,” Harris said.

She added that when health fees were increased in April 2005, she wanted the extra funding to go toward enriching the healthfulness of all students’ lives.

Students voted to increase the health service fee from $38 to $65 per semester. The fee continues to increase $2 each semester until 2010.

Health psychologist Lori Roberto, Ph.D., said the program has expanded in terms of what it can offer and whom it can help.

Roberto will help students understand lifestyle balance, behavior change strategies, stress management, health and performance enhancement and how behavior and emotions are related to health and well being.

“Health psychology is a branch of clinical psychology that applies psychological principles to address health-related issues,” Roberto said.

She will also assess and treat emotional and mental health problems and help students understand what is standing in between their goals and their behaviors.

“I will help students focus on their health behaviors,” she said. “We’ll work together to identify what their areas of concerns are and if there are any barriers standing in the way.”

Roberto said that most students are concerned with wanting to make some kind of change.

“Losing weight is an example,” she said. “Students say, ‘I want to do this, so how come I’m not doing it?’

But Roberto said the Sac State program will address a broader notion of health besides just weight.”We don’t want students to just focus on a number,” she said. “It’s not only about body size. It’s about ‘Are you fit, happy and healthy?'”

Roberto pointed out that being healthy entails a lot more than just reaching an ideal weight.

“College students have a lot to manage,” said Roberto. “Food choices and busy lifestyles can be overwhelming. That means that health issues sometimes fall to the wayside.”

Roberto will help empower students to make the changes they desire by increasing confidence levels and developing behavioral tools and strategies.

“I’ll be looking at some of the reasons why they’re feeling stuck,” she said.

Before students meet with Roberto or clinical nutritionist Katherine Parker, they will fill out a brief assessment form to determine which staff member they need to see.

Exercise physiologist and personal trainer Jason Blessinger will be in the center full-time, along with health education assistant Kalyn Coppedge.

Blessinger said his role will be to help students achieve their fitness goals. Assessments will focus on cardiorespiratory rates, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility and body composition. He will also help students develop personalized exercise programs.

“Essentially, it’s free personal training,” he said.

In addition to regular business hours, Blessinger will also be in the free weight room in Solano Hall every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. starting Nov. 1.

“Students can come in and ask any question they have,” he said. “I’ll be able to address questions of all levels, from novice to advanced. It all depends on what people want.”

Freshman Stephanie Gosney, major undeclared, was excited to hear about the new program.

“It sounds like the university is taking steps toward making this a healthier campus,” Gosney said. She said she is most interested in the personal training aspect, as well as learning about proper food choices.

Senior psychology major Jon Barrett said he will definitely use the program’s services.

“It sounds pretty cool,” Barrett said, adding that he doesn’t have a lot of time to work out, so he’d like to learn how to make the most out of his free.

“I’m most interested in the personal training, like professional tips for techniques and repetition,” said Barrett, who already follows a fitness routine. “I’d also like to learn more about diet choices.”

Coppedge, who will provide guidance in the areas of nutrition, fitness, eating disorders, body image and general health, encourages students to drop in and see what the program is about.

“Students can come in with all of their health-related concerns,” she said. “We can help with everything from addressing a simple question to a three-day diet analysis or training program.”

Her role will also include campus outreach and education as well as starting group programs. She said this is a great time for students to take advantage of the program’s services, since they would have to pay for similar services after college.

“We’re here to help students develop a healthy lifestyle that they can follow for the rest of their lives,” Coppedge said. “We’re working on fitness as a whole.”

Freshman Alison Calais, major undeclared, said she could benefit from professional advice, since this is her first time living away from home.

“I think the program sounds really valuable to students,” Calais said. While she doesn’t know what aspect of the program would suit her needs, she is interested in fitness in general.

Roberto said that this multi-disciplinary approach makes the program unique.

“We’re coordinating our services so that we can create an individual plan for the student,” she said. “We’re working as a team.”

Blessinger said the program encourages students to discover what is right for them.

“It’s individualized,” he said. “What you read-in a magazine might not be right for you.”

The program is also distinctive in its health promotion as well as its treatment of identified problems, Roberto said.

“We’re about outreach, health promotion and treatment of eating- or health-related concerns,” Roberto said. “We’re going to be talking about lifestyle change that works for the long run.”

After the grand opening Nov. 1, students can drop in or schedule appointments between 8 a.m. and 5p.m Monday to Friday.

For more information, contact the Eating and Healthy Weight Program at 278-WELL.

Megan Chuchmach can be reached at [email protected]