WELLNESS REQUIREMENT PROPOSAL

IN PURSUIT OF A HEALTHY POPULATION IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

LISA BORHO, CLARK COLLEGEKEITH PATON, HIGHLINERAY BUTLER, BELLEVUE LB

OVERVIEW

• Introduction of a proposal for a new minimum 3-credit DTA requirement.

• Discussion of rationale and expected benefits of this requirement.

• Discussion of implementation of this requirement.

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THE PROPOSAL• Require a minimum 3-credit wellness class in

the Direct Transfer Agreement.• Any combination of health/physical education

classes as determined by each college.

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THE PROPOSAL Need for requirement

• Courses will emphasize not just what is recommended, but how to adopt healthy behaviors.

• Students who most need health education tend to avoid it, e.g. students who are smokers, obese, unfit, or eat poorly.

I didn’t understand why I had to take a health requirement, but I am so happy I did. This class has

changed my life! Student in wellness class at Bellevue

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RATIONALE FOR A REQUIREMENT

• Health crisis in America

• Important crossroads

• Education casts a wide net

• Health Education is effective

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HEALTH CRISIS IN AMERICA• Unhealthy behaviors account for

more than half of all deaths.1

• Life expectancy is expected to fall due to the obesity crisis 2

• Obesity epidemic draining healthcare system. 3

• Rising healthcare costs shift money away from other important programs.4

“It is no exaggeration to say that the US standing in the world depends on its

success in constraining this health care cost explosion…[or] the country will

eventually face a severe fiscal crisis of crippling inability to invest in other

areas." Peter Orszag , 2010 5 KP

IMPORTANT CROSSROADS• Recent high school graduates are making health

decisions independently from parents.

• Returning students are often ready to make a positive health changes for themselves and their families.

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EDUCATION CASTS A WIDE NET• Washington community colleges

served ~413,000 with transfer students representing about 58,000 (2012-13).

• Health Education influences families and friends, as well as just students.

“I am considering this for my health, but also for what I am teaching my children. It's not enough to tell them how to be healthy. We

have to SHOW them!”Student in PE activity class Spring 2013

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WELLNESS EDUCATION IS EFFECTIVEIntroduction

• A multi-pronged approach to wellness is needed to impact health outcomes.

• Community colleges provide education to a population that is often underserved, in terms of healthcare.

• We need to be proactive not reactive.• 23 ½ hour Video Link

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WELLNESS EDUCATION IS EFFECTIVECollege level health education research• College-level physical education provides an

important contribution to primary prevention of chronic diseases.

Source: Sparling, PB (2003). College physical education: An unrecognized agent of change in combating inactivity-related diseases. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine; 46 (4).

• Alumni who took a wellness course:– Were more likely to exercise & less likely to smoke– Had lower intakes of dietary fat/cholesterol/sodium

Source Pearman, S., Valois, R., Sargent, R., Saunders, R., Drane, J., & Macera, C. (1997). The impact of a required college health and physical education course on the health status of alumni. Journal Of American College Health, 46(2), 77-85.

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WELLNESS EDUCATION IS EFFECTIVE:Results of Outcome Assessments

Health Objective

% Students meeting

guidelines Pre-test

% Students meeting

guidelines Post-test

Regular vigorous cardio 3x/wk for 20 min. 25% 64%

Resistance training 2x/wk 22% 79%

Avoid fast food or processed foods 56% 82%

Results of Students’ Pre-Post Assessments of Health Behaviors after taking a wellness class. Based on data collected at Clark College between 2008-2010.

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EXPECTED BENEFITS FROM WELLNESS REQUIREMENT

• Healthier Population

• Supports health objectives

• Productive Workforce

• Enhanced cognitive function & learning

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BENEFIT: Healthier Population• Act as important agents of change in our

communities.

• Fight against the obesity epidemic plaguing our state and nation.

• Decrease risk factors associated with leading chronic diseases.

• Decrease the crippling cost of health care.

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• Healthy People 2020 • Affordable Health Care Act • Washington Wellness• Washington State Nutrition

& Physical Activity Plan• Let’s Move

BENEFIT: Supports health objectives

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• Decreases health care costs to businesses• Increases productivity• Decreases absenteeism

Return on investment (ROI) for businesses is estimated at

$2.71 for every $1.00 spent on wellness promotion. 1

BENEFIT: Productive Workforce

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BENEFIT: Enhanced cognitive function & learning

Researchers studying the brain have found:

“Exercise is Miracle Grow for the Brain” • Healthy behaviors, especially exercise,

improve cognitive function and increase academic success.• Healthy behaviors improve self-efficacy and personal motivation,

while reducing stress, anxiety and depression.

“I used to have really bad anxiety attacks and I get stressed because of how busy my schedule always is, but since I started being active again that has greatly reduced.

Along with my patience at work, which is huge!”

Student in Physical Education activity class Spring 2013 KP

IMPLEMENTATIONCurrent Status

• General Education Distribution Requirement: Currently 50% of community colleges offer a wellness type of requirement in their DTA degrees (14 of 28 transfer colleges).

• Health and/or Physical Education Departments: All but one transfer college currently offers Health or Physical Education classes.

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• Colleges that currently have a wellness requirement (14) should not be impacted by this proposal.

• Remaining colleges may decide what combination of lecture or lab classes will satisfy this requirement.

• This requirement is designed to fit within the 90 credit AA degree (taken from electives category).

• Lecture classes may include personal health, healthy eating, fitness for life, stress management, etc.

• Lab classes may include activity classes that provide students with knowledge, skills and abilities to stay active for a lifetime.

IMPLEMENTATIONSatisfying new requirement

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• Most colleges without a requirement already have facilities, faculty and offer wellness classes.

• Wellness classes can be offered online and curriculum is available at the Open Course Library.

• Activity-based classes do not necessarily require special facilities, e.g. jogging, hiking, or Tai Chi.

• Wellness faculty around the state are available to assist in curriculum development and may be available to teach some online classes.

IMPLEMENTATIONResources

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SUMMARY

• We have introduced a proposal for a new minimum 3-credit wellness requirement in the DTA.

• Rationale has been presented regarding the need for this requirement related to:– Impacting the health crisis in our state and nation.– Targeting students at an important crossroads in their lives.– Influencing the health of others beyond our students.– Effectively promoting wellness through education.

• The expected benefits include improving health outcomes, work productivity, and reducing healthcare costs to both students and the state.

• Implementation of this requirement is feasible with little disruption to most colleges.

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DISCUSSION

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The Higher Education System in the State of Washington, that’s who!

Who will take a stand for health in our state

and local communities?

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Please support this proposal to add a wellness requirement

to the Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA).

THANK YOU!

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