UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Health Promotion and Wellness, a unit of Penn State Student Affairs, has announced that services offered through its Nutrition Clinic will be available to all Penn State students free of charge beginning Nov. 1.
The Nutrition Clinic provides personal nutrition counseling to students looking for information on ways to improve their overall health, including weight-management strategies for those with medical needs. Formerly, services offered by the Nutrition Clinic were available to students for a small appointment fee.
“Nutrition is important because if you fuel your body well it is going to help you perform well,” said Stacy Jones, Health Promotion and Wellness coordinator and clinical dietitian. “Research has shown that there are links between nutrition and immune system function as well as memory and learning.”
Through one-on-one nutrition counseling with a registered dietitian, students can create a custom plan to help meet their personal health and nutrition goals. Dietitians are sensitive to cultural food preferences and work with each student to incorporate the traditional foods they enjoy into a balanced and healthy meal plan. Special topics of interest include managing eating disorders, digestive issues and food allergies, and building healthy vegetarian and vegan diets, among many others.
In addition, the Weight Management Program, a specialty service offered by the Nutrition Clinic, helps students with prediabetes, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, overweight/obesity, metabolic syndrome and other disorders learn about healthy eating habits and decision-making.
“We designed the Weight Management Program to provide students with the tools and resources they need to manage their weight, along with information about how to make healthy food and physical activity choices throughout their adult lives,” said Maria Blesh, clinical dietitian.
Appointments for both nutrition counseling and the Weight Management Program are currently being accepted. Students can schedule an appointment online through myUHS or by calling 814-863-0461.
In recent years, the Nutrition Clinic has seen a surge in popularity among students. During the 2016-17 academic year the clinic saw more than 1,000 appointments and helped many students achieve their health and nutrition goals. By offering services free of charge, Health Promotion and Wellness hopes to extend their outreach even further within the Penn State community.