- Conducted over 8 weeks from April 2^nd (Wed) to May 28^th (Wed), based on the PAVING program

The Department of Integrative Health Management successfully conducted the “Self-Weight Management Project for Middle-Aged Women” over an 8-week period, from Wednesday, April 2 to Wednesday, May 28.

Middle age is a period marked by significant physical, psychological, and social changes. In particular, women in midlife often face difficulties in managing their own lifestyle habits due to the various responsibilities and roles they play in caregiving, work, and social life.

To address these challenges, the Department of Integrative Health Management implemented the PAVING the Path to Wellness program (commonly known as the “PAVING program”), which is based on the principles of lifestyle medicine. The project aimed to help middle-aged women recognize their current health status and lifestyle issues and use the PAVING program toolkit to independently improve their habits.

Notably, this project was grounded in prior research analyzing key factors that contribute to weight gain in middle-aged women. Based on these findings, the project selected and applied core elements that influence weight management in this population. Through group-based interactions, participants shared their experiences and applied scientific, action-oriented strategies commonly used in behavior change and goal achievement, allowing them to design and implement personalized weight management programs.

The project targeted women in their 40s to 60s who were either enrolled in or currently taking courses in Lifestyle Habit Management or Lifestyle Medicine. It consisted of sessions on topics such as: an introduction to lifestyle medicine and self-assessment methods, designing customized self-weight management programs, identifying barriers and revising programs, presenting post-evaluation results. Additionally, participants engaged in individual practice and implementation time. Each participant took part sincerely and shared their reflections based on their chosen themes.

Professor Min-Young Lee, Chair of the Department of Integrative Health Management and Dean of the College of Wellness and Health, stated, “We prepared this project with the hope that individuals would take care of their own health during this transformative stage of life, which comes with major physical, psychological, and social changes,” and added, “We hope this project served as a catalyst for participants to take initiative in improving their lifestyle habits.”

Meanwhile, the Department of Integrative Health Management at this university is the only one of its kind in the country. The department boasts a distinguished faculty and focuses on studying how to maintain and enhance health and prevent or heal disease by utilizing the body’s innate self-healing abilities. Integrative medicine combines the strengths of modern Western medicine with complementary and alternative medicine, and the department aims to train professionals in integrative healing through practical education grounded in theories and techniques of natural healing from the perspective of integrative medicine.