Running header: SELF-ASSESSMENT 1

Self-Assessment

Nicole Richter

PPE 310: Healthy Learning Communities

Professor Jennifer Houston

October 19, 2017

SELF-ASSESSMENT 2

Self-Assessment
1. How many days a week do you get 30 minutes or more of exercise
a. None c. 3-5 times
b. 1-2 times d. 6-7 times
2. How many times a week do you eat out?
a. None c. 3-6 times
b. 1-2 times d. 7+ times
3. How often do you drink alcohol?
a. Everyday c. Occasionally
b. Several times a week d. Never
4. Do you smoke? If so, how often?
a. Never d. Several a day
b. Socially e. One pack or more a day
c. Several a week
5. On an average night, how many hours of sleep do you get?
a. 4 or less hours c. 7-8 hours
b. 5-6 hours d. 8+ hours
6. What is your BMI? (Formula: weight(lbs.)/height(in)^2 x 703
a. Less than 16 d. 25-30
b. 16-18.5 e. 30+
c. 18.5-25
7. Do you, or have you in the past, suffered from medical conditions such as hypertension,
anxiety, diabetes, depression, or insomnia?
a. Yes c. Other:__________________
b. No
8. In a typical day do you eat at least two cups of vegetable and 2.5 cups of fruit?
a. Yes
b. No
9. Are at least half of the grains you consume whole grains?
a. Yes
b. No
10. When preparing meals what do you typically use for cooking?
a. Butter c. Olive Oil
b. Vegetable oil d. Other
11. What fat content do your dairy products at home contain?
a. Non-fat c. Whole
b. 2% d. Nut/Plant based
12. Do you have a family history of illness?
a. Yes: Cancer, Diabetes, Hypertension
b. No/Unknown
13. Do you journal or log your diet and exercise?
a. Daily c. Occasionally
b. Weekly d. Never
14. Are you happy with your current health status in relation to diet and exercise?
a. Yes
b. No
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Reflection

There are two main components to a healthy lifestyle, diet and exercise. However, other

factors include a persons sleep schedule, medical history, and use of substances like alcohol and

nicotine (Health and Lifestyle Assessment, n.d.). The assessment I created was based off the

Health and Lifestyle Assessment created by Pathlab. It is simple and straightforward, and acts as

a starting point for evaluating a persons health and wellness. The assessment covers many

different areas of a persons life and offers advice on healthy habits.

According to my answers there are lifestyle changes I could make to lower my BMI and

improve my overall health. The first thing is I could increase my physical activity from 1-2 times

a week to 30min/day, as recommended by the American Heart Association (2014). Since I suffer

from hypertension this will increase my chances of avoiding medication as well as lose weight. I

could also improve my sleep habits. As a new mother and full-time student overseas I average

about 6 hours of sleep. Sleep deprivation increases the amount of stress hormones, increases the

number of calories consumed, and decreases energy (Hensrud, 2016). Finally, I need to keep

myself accountable by logging my food intake and exercise. I have seen in the past how that

helps my overall help by having a written record to refer too.

While there are many areas for improvement in my life, there are also a few habits I see

as strengths. I make a concerted effort to reach the recommended intake of fruits, vegetables, and

whole grains every day (2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines, 2015). This means I am getting the

required nutrients I need to be healthy. When preparing meals, I also follow the USDAs (2015)

best practice of using heart-healthy oils like Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Making the choice to not use

solid fats benefits both my family and me. I would like to maintain these healthy choices as I

make improvements in other areas.

SELF-ASSESSMENT 4

In my future career as an educator I can use the information I have learned about healthy

lifestyle and dietary choices to help my students. I can ensure that they get at least 30 minutes of

physical activity each day. It may have to be incorporated into the curriculum because recess

seems to cut shorter and shorter. I can host meetings where parents and children can take their

own assessment and learn about the free tools available to help them. I can also make sure that in

my classroom I always have healthy snack choices on hand to reduce the consumption of

processed foods. Finally, I will be observant and speak up when I see a child showing signs of

illness or other harmful habits.

I tried to design the assessment to be as simple as possible. I wanted to follow Pathlabs

example by not requiring any in-depth analysis, but just the basics. This will get people

interested in their own health and still covers the major health factors. I did not just want to cover

diet and exercise, because some people can be unaware of how their medical history, sleep

routine, or other habits affect their overall health. In this age of technology, I also wanted an

assessment that could be easily completed on a mobile device, with links to helpful articles and

apps. It is much easier to prevent illness than to treat it so appealing to the younger generation is

key. Many of the other assessments I saw were either extremely lengthy, irrelevant, or costly.

The one I designed is short, sweet, and to the point.

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References

2015-2020 Dietary guidelines for Americans. (2015, December). U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 8th Edition. Retrieved on October

19, 2017 from https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/.

American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults. (2014,

February). Retrieved October 19, 2017, from

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/Ameri

can-Heart-Association-Recommendations-for-Physical-Activity-in-

Adults_UCM_307976_Article.jsp#.Wej0BWiCzIU

Health and Lifestyle Assessment Test. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2017, from

https://www.pathlab.com.my/health-corner/health-and-lifestyle-assessment-test

Hensrud, D. (2015, April 16). Why skipping sleep leads to weight gain. Retrieved October 19,

2017, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-

answers/sleep-and-weight-gain/faq-20058198