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Volumetrics 2017

Volumetrics ranks No. 2 for weight loss

1/5/17

The Volumetrics diet -- created by Barbara Rolls, professor of nutritional sciences and Helen A. Guthrie Chair in Nutrition at Penn State -- has been ranked No. 2 for weight loss out of 38 diets in U.S. News & World Report's Best Diets of 2017.

New class eases anxiety through yoga

12/21/16

Kelly Thoman has a high stress job and bouts with anxiety. Dan Coma had just the idea to help: a special program at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center using yoga to ease anxiety.

Students healthy eating

Nutritional sciences class reaches younger audience with educational event

12/14/16

NUTR 456 class, as part of field work, host community nutrition education fair on Nov. 29 at Ferguson Township Elementary School for CEEL - the after school program- for about 55 elementary aged children. The NUTR 456 students used interactive games and booths to engage the children in healthy eating and nutrition.

Applied exercise and health option added to kinesiology major

9/9/16

The Department of Kinesiology has added a new interdisciplinary option to better position students in the ever-changing kinesiology field. The new applied exercise and health option, which became available this semester, prepares students to work in a variety of fields, such as private or corporate fitness, hospital settings, or private or public schools.

Community Wellness Fair set for May 21

5/19/16

A free community Wellness Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 21 at the University Conference Center and event tent on the campus of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

AFI project

Kinesiology students address resources, health problem areas in Pennsylvania

2/12/16

Penn State kinesiology students conducted a project to learn how social norms, health issues and resources can affect a city's physical activity and overall health. While there is no single prescription to find a balance, the students used the American Fitness Index to create action plans for seven Pennsylvania cities, including Allentown, Scranton, State College, Reading, York, Erie and Lancaster, to start bridging the gap.

Department of Nutritional Sciences to host event showcasing work March 16

2/23/15

Penn State’s Department of Nutritional Sciences will host an event showcasing its work, goals and impact March 16. The event, which will feature keynote speakers, a tour of the department’s facilities, giveaways and research posters, will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. in Chandlee Laboratory and the Bennett Pierce Living Center.

Dr. Jacqueline McLaughlin, associate professor of biology at Penn State Lehigh Valley

Six @ Seven series invites community to 'Mini Medical School'

3/4/14

Penn State Lehigh Valley Continuing Education has announced a new topic for its spring Six @ Seven lecture series. Jacqueline McLaughlin, associate professor of biology at Penn State Lehigh Valley, will lead six "Mini Medical School" lectures at 7 p.m. Wednesdays from March 26 to April 30 at the Lehigh Valley campus. The cost of the series is $100 and it is open to the public.

Wellness initiative participation growing

8/22/13

In the month since the launch of Penn State's Take Care of Your Health initiative, roughly 7,900 employees have either completed or scheduled the biometric screening, and about 6,300 have completed the wellness profile. "We are very happy to see the participation rates continuing to climb," said Susan Basso, vice president for Human Resources. "I want to emphasize that while a major motivating factor in our health plan changes is cost-savings, equally important to us is the health and well-being of our employees. Good health care is more than paying for illness and treating symptoms. Good health care includes the prevention and management of modifiable risk factors. The wellness profile and biometric screenings create awareness for the employee of potential medical risks, and when you know about your risks you are empowered to address them to keep yourself healthy."

Wellness program participation increases, questions being answered

8/16/13

Employee participation in the "Take Care of Your Health" initiative continues to grow. As of Aug. 12, 6,548 employees have scheduled biometric screenings, filling 47 percent of available appointments. Those who still need to complete the wellness profile or physical exam certification should visit https://www.highmarkblueshield.com/ and then log in and click the "Rewards Program" link.

"We appreciate how many of our employees have been proactive in completing the required steps," said Susan Basso, vice president for Human Resources. "At the same time, we understand that employees may be hearing conflicting information about our wellness initiatives, so we want to address their concerns with the most up-to-date information possible.

"Foremost on most people's minds is privacy. I can assure you that the information you provide through the wellness screening is, and will remain, private. WebMD Health Services, which developed and is administering the wellness profile through Highmark Blue Shield, is bound by HIPAA privacy and security laws. Penn State will not -- and by federal health privacy law, cannot -- have access to individual employee health records. We will never ask for an employee’s health records and will not charge an employee additional fees based on their individual health status," Basso said.

WebMD Health Services is one of the leading health and wellness authorities in the country. Like many other national health insurance plans, Highmark determined it was more efficient to partner with WebMD Health Services than to build its own health-related resources like the wellness profile. WebMD Health Services differs from WebMD.com, which operates a separate public website that allows free access to health and wellness information and generates revenue through the sale of advertising on its site. The services and resources offered by WebMD Health Services are purchased by health plans and employer groups and are tailored specifically for protection of sensitive information.

The FAQ found on the Office of Human Resources website at http://ohr.psu.edu/assets/benefits/documents/TakeCareOfHealthFAQs.pdf addresses a number of questions, as does the main website for the initiative at http://ohr.psu.edu/benefits/benefits-enrollment/ online. In addition, click through to the full story for answers to some of the questions asked more recently.

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