Eighty percent of college students do not meet the recommended minimal exercise goals for health, according to the American Heart Association.

This alarming statistic, along with others, motivated the Physical Education (PE) departments of San Jacinto College to offer a new core curriculum class, Introduction to Physical Fitness and Wellness (PHED 1164), that will be offered starting Fall 2015. In addition, the course will reintroduce PE to the College’s core curriculum inventory.

“In 2014, Physical Education was cut out of the core curriculum at San Jacinto College,” Fitness Specialist and Wellness Coordinator Kirsten Redding said.

The new one-hour credit course will be listed in the under the Area 90 Institutional Option category.

“PHED 1164 will give students the opportunity to earn their core requirements, stay active, and provide students with an overview of the lifestyle necessary for fitness and health,” Redding said.

The course, she added, will feature a hands-on learning style that offers involvement in multiple areas of health and wellness.

“Students will participate in physical activities and assess their fitness status, and be introduced to proper nutrition, weight management, cardiovascular health, flexibility and strength training,” Redding said.

Furthermore, she indicated, students will have the opportunity to create workout programs tailored to their individual needs, along with educational support that will facilitate their efforts toward lifelong fitness.

“Diet and nutrition will never go away. It’s what you will always have to live by,” Redding said. “This Class will be a combination of activity and wellness lectures.”

Meanwhile, Department Chair of Physical Education Sandi Morgan said San Jac followed the path of other area colleges which are also offering PHED 1164 as a core curriculum class.

“Both Lone Star (College) and Galveston College were very forthcoming with helpful information in putting together this course,” Morgan said.

Furthermore, she added, it not only benefits enrolled students, it can positively impact many other aspects of their lives.

“PHED 1164 will give students the tools for fitness for life, for themselves and their families,” Morgan said. “It takes one positive experience to help students learn about healthy living.”

Moreover, Morgan added, the course is a proactive step toward bridging “the link between physical fitness and academic achievement.”

“We must redefine what it means to prepare the next generation,” Morgan said, “to include teaching students how to lead healthy lives.”