WELLNESS ON CAMPUS

Poor mental health has been reported by university students all around the world, with one in five students in the US suffering from anxiety or depression. A national study of Australian uni students in 2017 revealed that 70 per cent of students rated their mental health as “poor”. To address this problem, more than 30 universities in the US have wellness centres, featuring everything from gyms, chill- out zones, restaurants, rock walls and study areas to health clinics and herb gardens. In Australia, universities such as Macquarie, Melbourne, Tasmania and Queensland all have ‘ Wellness Weeks’ for students to relax and recharge. Meanwhile, the University of Auckland is building a 20,000m2 Recreation And Wellness Centre. When completed, it will have a swimming pool and dive tank, two sports halls, landscaped areas on the roof and study facilities on the ground floor. With the global wellness industry estimated to be worth $A5.76 trillion (almost half of all global health expenditure), wellness is here to stay.