Spring Break
Good diets are possible in college
Sarah Zeeck
Issue date: 8/24/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
With the start of a new college semester underway, freshmen and upperclassmen alike are plagued with a plethora of pressures and stresses. Everything from huge homework loads to work to choreographing a social life can stress students out. Where staying healthy should be a priority, such stress leaves little to no time to worry about a balanced diet.
With a lack of time to consider a healthy menu, as well as a lack of funds to support paying for such a diet, it is understandable how many students may fall into a rut of a poor diet; however, many issues can arise from letting oneself become lazy in the realm of food. Obesity is the obvious repercussion of an imbalanced diet, but many other issues, such as vitamin and mineral deficiencies, can develop as well.
According to Forbes, the problems might not end there. Developing poor nutritional habits while young can stick with people for the duration of their lives and can lead to heart disease or diabetes.
Most students in college do have some basic knowledge on what is healthy and unhealthy to eat. The issue at hand is convenience. It's a lot easier to find pizza and other varieties of fast food at college. It isn't as convenient to eat foods such as fresh fruits, salads or cooked vegetables, as they are either more prone to perish or require utensils to eat them, making them not as "on-the-go" as a burger or slice of pizza.
Another hidden culprit for health issues among college students is alcohol consumption. Beer and other forms of alcohol contain little to no nutritional value, and even though light beer has fewer calories than regular beer, the calories are still present, as is fat content. Doing keg stands and playing beer pong at parties every night can significantly damage one's figure (as well as the liver).
How can this seemingly endless epidemic of the infamous "freshman 15" be abolished, then? Though the cafeterias located near each of the residence halls do offer foods that are considered unhealthy choices, they also offer healthy alternatives. Each comes equipped with a salad bar and has a cooler with food items such as carrot sticks and fresh fruit. They do have soda, but a student can also opt for milk, water or juice over the sugary counterparts.
Beyond the issue of diet, exercise also can play a crucial role in maintenance of a healthy body. On campus, the Spencer Student Recreation Center offers a variety of different activities such as aerobics, swimming and intramural teams students can join.
Another option for learning more about diet and nutrition is taking FCS 109 (Introduction to Nutrition) as a general education requirement, as it extensively covers issues in regard to vitamins, minerals and general diet management.
Just because there are more than 12 pizza joints and even more fast food restaurants in Macomb doesn't mean you have to fall victim to the "freshman 15."
With a lack of time to consider a healthy menu, as well as a lack of funds to support paying for such a diet, it is understandable how many students may fall into a rut of a poor diet; however, many issues can arise from letting oneself become lazy in the realm of food. Obesity is the obvious repercussion of an imbalanced diet, but many other issues, such as vitamin and mineral deficiencies, can develop as well.
According to Forbes, the problems might not end there. Developing poor nutritional habits while young can stick with people for the duration of their lives and can lead to heart disease or diabetes.
Most students in college do have some basic knowledge on what is healthy and unhealthy to eat. The issue at hand is convenience. It's a lot easier to find pizza and other varieties of fast food at college. It isn't as convenient to eat foods such as fresh fruits, salads or cooked vegetables, as they are either more prone to perish or require utensils to eat them, making them not as "on-the-go" as a burger or slice of pizza.
Another hidden culprit for health issues among college students is alcohol consumption. Beer and other forms of alcohol contain little to no nutritional value, and even though light beer has fewer calories than regular beer, the calories are still present, as is fat content. Doing keg stands and playing beer pong at parties every night can significantly damage one's figure (as well as the liver).
How can this seemingly endless epidemic of the infamous "freshman 15" be abolished, then? Though the cafeterias located near each of the residence halls do offer foods that are considered unhealthy choices, they also offer healthy alternatives. Each comes equipped with a salad bar and has a cooler with food items such as carrot sticks and fresh fruit. They do have soda, but a student can also opt for milk, water or juice over the sugary counterparts.
Beyond the issue of diet, exercise also can play a crucial role in maintenance of a healthy body. On campus, the Spencer Student Recreation Center offers a variety of different activities such as aerobics, swimming and intramural teams students can join.
Another option for learning more about diet and nutrition is taking FCS 109 (Introduction to Nutrition) as a general education requirement, as it extensively covers issues in regard to vitamins, minerals and general diet management.
Just because there are more than 12 pizza joints and even more fast food restaurants in Macomb doesn't mean you have to fall victim to the "freshman 15."
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