For students who are interested in learning about their health and how they can improve it, Iowa State’s Student Health Center is sponsoring the 14th annual Carnival of Health.

Titled “Health Links,” the “comprehensive health resource fair” will take place Thursday, Jan. 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

Jim Fung, the carnival’s coordinator and a staff member of the Health Education Office, said the carnival’s basic concept is “to connect people in our community, students, faculty and staff, and the Ames community with health resources.”

He said the carnival will also offer useful information about health-related topics.

“This is a marvelous way for students to gain information on current health issues,” said Mary Engstrom, health educator at the Student Health Center.

“[Students] might know they have to get in shape, and we want to provide this opportunity for all of them,” Fung said. “We are hoping they will get more knowledge [so] they can be more aware of their health and their resources.”

Engstrom agreed, saying the carnival is a good way for students to become more educated about their health.

“We feel students are at a time in their life when what they do now will affect what they do later on,” Engstrom said. “The aging process is governed by many of the processes we start at this age of life.”

In the past, Fung said, the carnival has been attended by a mix of students from ISU and local schools and people from the retirement community.

The carnival will offer more than 35 local and national health organizations to provide current information for all those interested.

It will also have various exhibits on display, including one outlining the fat and sodium contents of foods popular among college students, body piercing, “date rape” drugs, and methamphetamines.

The exhibits are “certainly areas that students are quite interested in,” Engstrom said.

Engstrom said another feature of the carnival about which she is excited is “The Lucy,” a reference to Charles Schultz’s “Peanuts” character who gives psychiatric advice out of her clubhouse.

“The Lucy,” a first-time exhibit, will have physicians from Student Health either “in or out” of the booth.

The physicians will answer health-related questions students might have.

According to ISU News Service, the carnival will provide free health assessments, including blood pressure, body fat, strength, flexibility, cardiovascular fitness and pulmonary function testing.

There will also be hemoprofiles, thyroid screenings, colorectal cancer screenings, prostate specific antigen testing, blood typing, cardiac risk appraisal and cholesterol screenings offered at reduced rates.

For students interested in having their cholesterol checked, two of the profiles will require a 12-hour fasting period.

Admission to the carnival is free.

Fung said as an added incentive, the carnival will offer hourly drawings for small prizes such as gift certificates, as well as free ice cream throughout the day.