Prominent researcher and multiple NIH grant recipient Dr. John Jakicic spoke to the campus community on Wednesday, April 4, about how to improve our nation's health, particularly in terms of obesity and weight management. Dr. Jakicic is professor and chair of the Department of Health and Physical Activity and director of the Physical Activity and Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsburgh.
The talk emphasized the fact that it is impossible to achieve optimal health without engaging regularly in some form of physical activity. Dr. Jakicic stressed that such activity need not be a chore and that activity is the most powerful factor for improving health when compared to other interventions. Physical activity can include simply walking one’s pet or going to the park and, when done regularly, effectively reduces significant health risks.
“On the horizon of the opening of our new wellness center, to have had a scholar of Dr. Jakicic’s stature on campus shows that the AUM community is very interested in our future as a campus that values physical activity and overall wellness,” said Dr. Michele Olson, research director of the AUM Human Performance Laboratory and professor of physical education and exercise science in the School of Education. “Our institution is taking a leadership role in promoting healthy lifestyles on campus and in the community. We want to encourage the evidence-based mindset that physical activity is essential for health and can also be enjoyable.”
With the opening of the Wellness Center, there will be plenty of opportunities for enjoyable physical activity, from the rock climbing wall to the swimming pool. To learn more about wellness at AUM, click here.
To learn more about Dr. John Jakicic, click here.
Dr. Olson introduces Dr. Jakicic. Dr. Olson, Dr. Michael Esco, and Dr. Hank Wiliford of the Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science hosted the talk.