Student Welfare at the Industrial University of Santander (UIS) runs the UIS Activa program, a strategy aimed at promoting healthy habits through physical and nutritional assessments for members of the university community.
The program is mainly carried out in the Faculty of Health. There, users have access to a physical assessment in the gym and a nutritional evaluation in the Physical Body Analysis Laboratory (LAFICO). Based on these results, professionals design a personalized training plan to be developed later in the gym.
“With this initiative, we seek to positively impact the health of the UIS community by assessing health-related physical condition and nutritional status. It is a pioneering program that prioritizes the overall well-being of our members,” said Jhon Coronado, a physical therapist with Student Wellness.
The physical assessment includes a series of tests and measurements that allow for the analysis of individual performance and needs.
“The physiotherapeutic assessment covers four main components: body composition, strength measurement, endurance, and cardiovascular or aerobic capacity. Based on the results, users move on to the nutritional assessment,” explained Coronado.
Nutritional screenings are carried out at LAFICO, located in the Faculty of Health, where specialized equipment is used to analyze body composition in detail using bioimpedance.
“We use InBody equipment, as well as instruments such as anthropometers and adipometers. With these tools, we obtain indicators such as muscle mass index, fat percentage, and skinfold thickness, which allow us to classify users and assess their nutritional status,” said María Paula Muñoz, a nutrition and dietetics student.
For the university community, the initiative represents a wise investment in institutional well-being. They particularly emphasize the importance of conducting a preliminary assessment before starting exercise routines.
“It is essential to have an initial evaluation. Many people start exercising without knowing where to begin. This assessment allows us to guide the work we need to do on our bodies,” said Elba Prieto, a professor at the School of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Along the same lines, María Triana, a Nutrition and Dietetics student, emphasized: “The assessment helps us organize our training, have a personalized plan, and move toward our goals.”
Participants also emphasize the value of the nutritional component as an essential complement to the process, as well as providing a training space for students in health-related fields who do their internships there.
“These tests are very important because they not only tell us our weight, but also aspects such as the quality and quantity of muscle mass. The nutritional plan is key to improving the deficiencies detected,” said Sergio Méndez, a medical student.
Assessments require prior scheduling, which must be done at the reception desk of each gym. Physical screening is also available at the UIS Floridablanca gym; only physical assessments are performed at this location.
