Health & Fitness Assessment
The UNC Asheville Health and Wellness Department houses several active laboratories that offer a variety of health and fitness assessments. In partnership with the NC Center for Health and Wellness you can have a comprehensive cardiovascular and fitness assessment, performance fitness assessments, body composition tests and nutrition and lifestyle consultations. All assessments are performed on campus in a professional and confidential environment by trained staff. Services are available to community members, UNCA students, faculty and staff. Please see the pricing table below for more detailed information on the assessments available.
Assessment Options
Comprehensive Cardiovascular Fitness Assessment
The Comprehensive Cardiovascular Fitness Assessment includes: stress test with EKG, iDXA scan for body composition, sit and reach test for flexibility, grip strength and brief physical exam.
Stress Test with EKG
To better understand cardiovascular fitness you will have EKG leads attached to your chest and back and then walk on a treadmill at a constant pace with the incline increasing until you reach your maximum exercise capacity. Before and during this test you will have your blood pressure measured. Afterwards, the physician will review the patterns of your heartbeat.
iDXA Scan for Body Composition
The iDXA scan is a full-body x-ray scan that differentiates between your fat mass, lean mass, and bone. It will provide you with your body fat percentage as well as raw values of fat, lean mass, and bone in different parts of your body including your arms, legs, trunk, mid-section, and hips/thighs. It also provides you with the amount of visceral fat you have (the fat associated with disease risk). In addition, you will receive an estimate of your resting metabolic rate based on estimated lean mass. For the scan, you will be asked to wear clothing free of metal and lie on a table for 8-10 minutes while the scan takes place.
iDXA Scan for Bone Density
In addition to a full-body x-ray scan, the iDXA can be used to assess your bone density and osteoporosis risk with site-specific scans of your hips, spine and wrist. These site-specific scans each take approximately 10 seconds.
Flexibility Assessment
For the sit and reach assessment you will sit on the floor with your legs outstretched and reach towards your toes three times. The staff will take your furthest reach and will compare it to a standardized table to assess flexibility.
Grip Strength
As a measure of strength a handheld tool is used to measure grip strength. You will squeeze the tool three times on each side and your scores will be compared to a standardized table.
Performance Testing
Lactate Threshold Test
A lactate threshold test is a measure of fitness which provides results that you may utilize for training. This test is an assessment of how much lactate builds up in your blood during exercise. As you increase your fitness, you will be able to perform at higher levels without an excess of lactate buildup in your blood. This test is completed on either a treadmill or bike and takes approximately 20-30 minutes. While you are wearing a heart rate monitor, you will exercise for 4-5 minutes at increasingly higher intensities. At the end of each of these 4-5 minute stages, we will take a small blood sample (via finger prick) to assess your blood lactate levels. The test will continue until your lactate threshold (a lactate above 4 mmol/L) is reached.
iDXA Scan for Body Composition
The iDXA scan is a full-body x-ray scan that differentiates between your fat mass, lean mass, and bone. It will provide you with your body fat percentage as well as raw values of fat, lean mass, and bone in different parts of your body including your arms, legs, trunk, mid-section, and hips/thighs. It also provides you with the amount of visceral fat you have (the fat associated with disease risk). In addition, you will receive an estimate of your resting metabolic rate based on estimated lean mass. For the scan, you will be asked to wear clothing free of metal and lie on a table for 8-10 minutes while the scan takes place.
iDXA Scan for Bone Density
In addition to a full-body x-ray scan, the iDXA can be used to assess your bone density and osteoporosis risk with site-specific scans of your hips, spine and wrist. These site-specific scans each take approximately 10 seconds.
VO2 Max Test
A VO2 max test is the gold standard for measuring aerobic fitness. This test is an assessment of your body’s ability to use oxygen during exercise. As you increase your fitness level, adaptations occur in your body that allow you to use more oxygen and thus perform at a higher level. This test is completed on either a treadmill or bike and takes between 8 and 12 minutes. While you are hooked up to our metabolic cart that measures your oxygen usage, you will exercise at increasing intensities each minute until you reach your maximum use of oxygen.
Nutrition and Lifestyle Consultations
These hour-long consultations can support you in identifying areas of your lifestyle that may need to be modified in order to achieve your personal health goals. Dietary habits, stress, sleep, and physical activity are all areas that may be discussed. An intake form and a week-long diet diary should be completed and returned prior to the scheduled session. These forms will be sent to you once your appointment is confirmed.
Assessment Pricing
For assessment pricing, please review our Health and Fitness Assessment Pricing Table.
Lab Hours
For all appointments and inquiries for Health and Fitness Assessment, email thewell@unca.edu.
Location
The WELL is located on the UNC Asheville campus in the Sherrill Center. The Sherrill Center is located off the main University Heights circle at 227 Campus Drive, Asheville, NC 28804.
You will receive directions and parking instructions when you schedule your test. Please note that you will use the Visitor Parking spaces in the parking garage adjacent to the Sherrill Center. Visitor permits are free of charge and can be obtained in advance by visiting parking.unca.edu