Hyderabad: For the first time in the country, the state agriculture university is preparing health profiles of its students, based on which a 'balanced' diet would be prepared at the hostel mess.
The process of collecting health profiles from about 1,000 students started on Friday at the Prof. Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University.
The university will record the body mass index, pulse rate, peripheral capillary oxygen, blood pressure, complete blood count, blood sugar and conduct a clinical examination.
University medical officials said the students would be personally sensitised and encouraged to take up sports to maintain a balance between studies and health. The university has equipped its health centre with a gym for the students and will be providing jogging and sports facilities.
Vice-Chancellor Dr V. Praveen Rao, who began the fitness drive in the varsity, said, “The main objective is to ensure good health to the students. Apart from this, the varsity is providing world class infrastructure in teaching and research activities as well.”
He said the health profile will be used to sensitise students on how to balance between studies and health.
“This is for the first time that the students are offered such services by the University on such a large scale,” Dr Praveen Rao said.
Associate dean Dr Seema said the health centre had a well-equipped diagnostic lab to conduct the health profile. The information would be recorded for future reference. The health profiling would be done in the next 10. A dietitian from the food and nutrition department would be called for students whose readings are not in the normal range.
The hostel menu would be changed to include more fruits and vegetables and less of fries and oil. Dishes with leafy vegetables would be served at least four times a week.
