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Factors for heart disease discussed To determine your risk factors for heart disease through a health risk assessment and fitness testing, join Annie Cruzan from the MUSC Harper Student Center and Annie Lovering, Health 1st director Feb. 21 during  Wellness Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Children’s Hospital Lobby.    Fitness testing includes blood pressure, height, weight, BMI, waist and hip circumference measurements and a body fat analysis. In addition to fitness testing, the Feb. 21 Wellness Wednesday activities will include hand outs describing the American Heart Associations’ recommendations for diet and exercise, and Wellness Center staff will help calculate target heart rates and  the amount of exercise needed for heart health and weight management. Staff can also help determine a target weight range based on a healthy percent of body fat and make exercise program suggestions for individuals to follow.   Ideal blood pressure is <120/80 – 139/89mmHg/dl, while high blood pressure is reading> 140/90 or higher on two different occasions. An ideal body mass index score is between 18.5 and 24.9; anything in the 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight and readings greater than 30 are considered obese. However, the body mass index reading does not separate lean body weight and body fat. Body fat percentages for healthy women should generally be less than 25 percent and for men, less than 18 percent.  Ideal waist to hip ratio for men is less than .90 and for women, less than .85. Waist circumference measurements for men should be less than 40 inches and for women, less than 35 inches. All MUSC employees and staff are invited to see how they compare.    It’s about the heart and health; Health 1st encourages everyone to be proactive in taking care of it. The Feb. 21 Wellness Wednesday will offer opportunities to sign up for free Health 1st workshops and classes.  Weekly tips from the Healthy S.C. Challenge   Healthy S.C. Challenge is a results-oriented initiative created by Gov. Mark Sanford and first lady Jenny Sanford to motivate people to start making choices that can improve health and well-being. Visit http://www.healthysc.gov. Physical activity While at work, go for a walk during your lunch hour. Try to find three different paths and vary them throughout the week. Editor's note: The preceding column was brought to you on behalf of Health 1st. Striving to bring various topics and representing numerous employee wellness organizations and committees on campus, this weekly column seeks to provide MUSC, MUHA and UMA employees with current and helpful information concerning all aspects of health.     Friday, Feb. 16, 2007 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.