The Iowa State Student Health Center’s 15th Annual Carnival of Health is being held today to provide information to health- and body-conscious students.

The carnival is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union and is free to the public.

Randy Mayer, interim director of the Office of Prevention, Education and Outreach at Student Health, said this year’s event will offer a different experience from previous years because it is being headed by Brian Dunn, graduate assistant and health promotion coordinator for the Student Health Center.

Mayer said each organizer puts a “different spin” on the carnival.

At this year’s carnival, visitors can imitate “American Gladiators” stars at the rock-climbing wall and pedestal joust. In the joust, two people stand on pedestals and hit each other with what Dunn called “giant Q-tips.”

Participants also can try “bounce-n-boxing,” where Dunn said they can “go to town on each other” with giant boxing gloves.

Mayer said visitors always have been interested in the “interactive” parts of the carnival, such as the health assessments and “one-on-one” talks with students. Participants can receive a Wellness Profile from the Mary Greeley Medical Center Laboratory for $3 to $9, $2 off the normal price.

The profile is made up of different levels and covers areas such as blood glucose, lipid and total cholesterol. While certain tests in the profile require 12 hours of fasting, some, including the cholesterol check, do not.

Other assessments participants can receive include flexibility and body-fat testing.

The idea is that visitors can “spend a little while learning, a little while having fun,” Dunn said.

About 35 local and national organizations will have booths at the fair, including the National Kidney Foundation and groups such as Planned Parenthood and the Story County Sexual Assault Response Team.

“If people have a specific health issue, this is a great place to find a resource,” Dunn said.

Another popular part of the Carnival of Health is the Lied Recreation Center’s booth, which will have a camping setup this year and information about the equipment and services offered at the rec.

Last year, about 1,000 people attended the Carnival of Health, and a similar number is expected this year.