As a collaboration between Olin Health Center, Healthy U and the IM Sports system, a new Web site has been launched to promote exercise and nutrition for members of the MSU community.
The Web site offers links to physical activity programs and events that are occurring not only on MSU's campus, but also in the East Lansing community, said Healthy U coordinator Nancy Allen. It provides a place for users to keep track of the number of steps they walk or their total minutes of physical activity each day and offers tips, motivation and daily personalized e-mails.
"We are basically trying to highlight not just our programs but complementary programs in the community," Allen said.
Healthy U and Olin have worked to create health Web sites as a way to reach a broader community of people, and to interconnect people working toward similar goals.
"It's a population that tends to be fairly computer savvy," Allen said. "They are interested in going on a computer to look for information."
Allowing members to keep track of all their information online keeps them motivated by seeing not only their own progress, but by being able to compare it to other people across campus, Allen said. It also allows coordinators of the program to keep track of how many people are joining the site and how much it is improving their physical activity.
MSU partnered with the national version of the program, America on the Move, to customize the program for the MSU community, said Jonathan Kermiet, Olin Health Center health educator and manager of The LIFE: Rx program.
Since MSU Moves was launched on Monday, 192 people at MSU have registered, 63 of whom have begun logging their steps or activity, Allen said. She said these people have walked a total of 1,687,665 steps so far.
Kermiet said there has been a lot of interest in this program, especially for it only being the first week.
"I assumed it would be more popular with faculty and staff," Kermiet said. "But we have had a lot of students."
With MSU Moves, there are links on the site to a variety of other programs that offer information on fitness and nutrition, such as lists of upcoming classes or information on the MSU Bike Project.
Because this program connects the entire MSU community, it can help people think about being more active with more of a community ethic, said Demetrius Marlowe, the assistant director of Intramural Sports and Recreative Services. He said it was important for intramural sports to be part of this program because it helps the IM Sports program accomplish its goal of providing the MSU community with options for a more healthy lifestyle.
"Any type of program that allows students to get excited about moving and being healthy assists us in achieving our mission," he said.
The Web site and program are free, which will help students have a more realistic approach to having a healthier life not only now, but in the future, Olin Health Center spokeswoman Kathi Braunlich said.
"The best part about it is that it's not asking for people to make a huge change in their life that may be difficult to sustain," she said.
