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TH#%AMECOCK 4 Nobody covers USC better. Nobody. “The main health issues (caused by obesity) are cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and all different types of cancers,” Watts said. “You also get things like sleep apnea and joint problems. The cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and cancer are among the main causes of death, and they’re where the problem is.” Watts credits high obesity rates to American attitudes about convenience and the rise of the fast-food industry. “We want food right now, but what’s also happening is when people have gained weight, ' they want to lose weight right now,” she said. “And so what they’re doing is going on fad diets, and fad diets are the opposite of what is good for you.” On college campuses, students face additional challenges to weight management, Watts said. Some freshmen must make food choices on their own for the first time, and often students bond with one another by eating together, she said. Even their living environments can work against them. “Living in dorms, there is rarely quick access to a kitchen,” Watts said. She urged students to incorporate more healthy foods like fruit and whole-grain pasta into their diets and to try to eat breakfast even if pressed for time. “We encourage eating three to four or even four to five smaller meals throughout the day as opposed to two or three larger meals, which a lot of students do because of meal plans,” Watts said. Through Campus Wellness weight-management programs, Watts said she hopes to help students learn to ways to avoid obesity and live a healthy lifestyle. Campus Wellness offers a range of services with this goal, including the “Lighten Up” program, a series of events aimed at helping students, staff, and faculty with weight-management. The series begins with a two hour informational workshop. Participants then schedule a one-on-one appointment with a registered dietician and attend an exercise consultation covering proper stretching techniques and strengthening and cardio workouts. “The consultation is one of our big services that’s really well utilized by students,” Watts said. “From there, we can send them to strength training orientation. The equipment here is state-of-the-art, and it’s important that they know how to use it.” “Lighten Up” participants also have their blood pressure and cholesterol checked and take part in a grocery store tour focusing on the outer perimeter of the store, which is where the fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods tend to be located, Watts said. Individual Wellness Center services like body fat measurement and fitness consultations are open to everyone at any time, but “Lighten Up” participants must complete all parts of the program. 1 he program runs ror three months, and the kick-off workshops are held two to three times a semester. The next will be held in February. Most Wellness Center services are free, but some cost a small fee. Personal Wellness Profiles, which measure students’ behaviors and their effects on overall health, cost two dollars. Cholesterol screenings cost $15, and a one hour meeting with a registered dietician through Campus Wellness costs $20. Off campus, Watts said, a similar meeting could cost $100. Students can call Campus Wellness at 576-9393 to join the program or for more information. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm.sc. edu DIETERS •COnnnUED PROfll I and exercise habits, noting the stunning rise in national obesity rates in recent years. According to the American Obesity Association, about two-thirds of Americans are overweight and nearly one third of those people are obese. Obesity means having 30 percent body fat or greater for males and 35 percent body fat or greater for females, Watts said. She said obesity causes many negative health effects. M3-70MK4 WIRELESS IWPUT CtWCTMNS