University students aiming for a healthier lifestyle might have to get off the couch and make a few more trips to the gym, according to recent Nutrition and Health Guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The guidelines recommend that adults participate in a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, seven days a week, in order to maintain a healthy weight and remain in good health. Children should be getting an hour of exercise a day.
“You need to have your heart rate elevated for a full half hour to realize the benefits,” said Dr. Christopher Minson, an assistant professor in the University’s exercise and movement science department. “A lot of people see 30 minutes and they do 10 minutes of warm-up, 10 minutes of activity and 10 minutes of cooldown.”
Minson is concerned that the new guidelines may act as a deterrent for many people trying to get in shape. Also, he said that the American College of Sports Medicine does not necessarily agree with the government recommendations.
“Most people just don’t have the time to exercise more,” he said. “The guidelines may make people feel like they are unable to exercise. It is more important that people get out there and exercise as many days a week as they can instead of worrying about going every day of the week.”
A daily routine that includes moderate physical exercise may reduce the risk of heart disease as well as other cardiac and respiratory problems. Acceptable physical activities for adults include fast-paced walking, jogging, cycling, aerobics, swimming and water aerobics, tennis and basketball.
The DHHS guidelines state that the exercise need not take place all at one time but can be broken up into manageable time periods throughout the day.
University Student Recreation and Fitness Center employee Hanna Jones said she sees that many students are willing to make time in their days for working out.
“It’s used a lot during the day,” she said. “We basically offer everything here, and there is always something to do.”
Records of student use show that more than 64 percent of University undergraduates and 40 percent of graduate students used the rec center during fall term. The majority of students use the rec center Monday through Thursday, taking the weekends off to recuperate.
Students at the University can take part in the rec center’s services by signing up for classes out of the schedule of classes, purchasing a punch card and participating in drop-in classes, or working out on an individual basis.
“I feel that it’s a high-use area for the students,” rec center Assistant Director of Operations Molly Kennedy said. “I think that this campus is very much aware of their bodies, and conscious of health problems associated with a lack of exercise.”
Winter hours for the rec center are 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 11 p.m. Sunday.