Aligning with the national 'Weight Management Year' campaign, Dalian University of Technology in Dalian, Liaoning province, recently promoted two special 21-day courses to help young students grappling with their extra pounds.

During the first session, which ended prior to the May Day holiday, 33 participants collectively shed 132.4 kilograms of weight, reduced a total of 116 kg of fat, and achieved a cumulative decrease of 50.3 in body mass index — an estimate of body fat based on one's weight and height. "Through weight loss and an improvement in physical fitness brought about by scientific training and a disciplined lifestyle, I could tangibly experience the principle of 'effort yields results'," said a participant who chose to be identified by his surname Jia.

While the national campaign calls on the public to focus on weight control, healthy eating and regular exercise, the DUT course covers scientific exercise, healthy eating and psychological counseling. Students can take the course to substitute for mandatory physical education tests and earn credits from it as an extracurricular exercise. The second session concluded late last month. "Thanks to Liu Changchun, the late head of our physical education department, who was also the first Chinese to ever compete in the Olympics (in 1932), and other sports predecessors, our university has always maintained a strong sports atmosphere," said Gao Fengshan, deputy head of the DUT's School of Sports and Health.

He said that the inaugural course drew an enthusiastic response. All the 40 students selected initially had a BMI exceeding 30. Seven participants were later disqualified due to excessive absenteeism. Among those who completed the course, the individual with the highest weight loss shed 7.3 kg, while the most significant fat reduction was 8.9 kg.

Additionally, there were significant improvements in blood pressure, with the number of participants with systolic pressure over 130 decreasing from 27 to 19, and those with diastolic pressure over 90 decreasing from 4 to none, said Gao. Exercise routines included one-hour land-based training classes from Monday to Friday and one-hour water-based training on weekends, according to Gao.

Land exercises incorporated mat exercises with resistance bands, yoga balls and step boards, while water activities included aquatic fitness routines and swimming.

On April 19, the university held its annual campus long-distance running event, with 8,500 students and faculty staff participating in the 4.15-kilometer race.

"All the 33 students enrolled in the weight management course formed a team and participated in the event. They encouraged each other throughout the run, with everyone completing the race," Gao said.

Yang Xiao, a teacher from the university's psychological center, said that team formation helped them activate students' behaviors and enhance their stamina.

She said professional counselors provided psychological support, assessment and training to help students maintain a positive mindset during the weight management program. They also taught students how to cope with emotional fluctuations and provided training on eating habits that emphasize chewing food slowly. To support healthy eating habits, the university set up a healthy meal counter that offered a variety of nutritious and balanced meals at reasonable prices.

Song Fei, head of the DUT's dining service center, mentioned that students had to have at least 50 meals at the healthy meal counter during the 21-day training to pass the assessment.

After completing the course, feedback from the participants indicated a notable increase in positive emotions after their weight loss. Their self-confidence was also evidently enhanced. "Although I only lost around 2.5 kg, I believe it's the best testament to my 21 days of hard work," a participant surnamed Chen said.

zhangxiaomin@chinadaily.com.cn