The Chanticleer

Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Matt McRae

Amber Johnson was a cheerleader in high school.

After she got to JSU, she said she put on the freshman 15, plus 20 more pounds.

"It was a big difference going from high school to college," Johnson said. "Stress plus the lack of time didn't allow me to work out or anything."

Now on top of schoolwork, a job and everything else, Johnson-a sophomore majoring in elementary education-has to work off those extra 35 pounds.

"My workout regimen right now is pretty much killing me," she said.

She's like millions of college students across America who not only find it difficult to balance their daily stresses, but also find it nearly impossible to maintain a balanced diet.

The problems with Americans and obesity and poor diet are well-documented.

A lot of the problems that are indicative of poor eating habits are the same habits that college students endure on a daily basis.

Dr. Debra Goodwin of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at JSU says it's much harder for students to adhere to healthy living standards than a lot of Americans.

"Some of the dietary habits that I have observed include skipping meals, consuming excessive amounts of fast foods, eating portions that are way too large and eating too much sugar in the forms of candy, cookies, cakes, and carbonated beverages," Goodwin said.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) suggests that only 10 percent of Americans have good diets. Dr. Goodwin has her theories on why college students generally fall into other 90 percent.

"I think college students develop poor eating habits because of two major factors: lack of time management skills and lack of motivation," Goodwin said.

"If one doesn't make time to plan, purchase and prepare healthy foods, he or she is more likely to routinely rely on fast foods or packaged foods."

There are of course some students who fight the temptation of the glowing, yellow arches, like JSU senior Richard Chappell, who finds time for his classwork and time to run two or three miles a day.

"I'll be the first to say fast food tastes great. But health-wise and money-wise, it's better to make your own food," Chappell said.

Chappell also uses to his advantage what JSU and the community give him to help him stay active.

"A lot of students don't realize they can take advantage of things like the Ladiga Trail and Stephenson [Gym]," Chappell said.

There's also the perception that eating healthy costs more than a college student can afford, a stigma that Chappell says is untrue from his experience.

"I figured it up. If I ate out every day it would cost me $400 a month. Eating what I eat now costs $150," Chappell said.

It's not just diet that is essential. Exercise and daily activity are a must to one's health.

Amber Johnson can attest to that.

Since beginning her new exercise regimen a month-and-a-half ago, she has already lost 10-15 pounds.

She also said the adjustment from high school to college is the biggest concern,

"Don't change your life too much," she said.

And she, Chappell and Dr. Goodwin all offer the same simplistic, yet effective, advice.

Stay active.

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Some suggestions for improving dietary habits from Dr. Debra Goodwin, FCS:
-- Plan menus for a week at a time
-- Purchase foods based on the menus planned
-- Purchase quick healthy foods to have on hand (e.g. pre-washed baby carrots)
-- Limit fatty snacks and sweets
-- Purchase whole grain products (bread, spaghetti, etc.)
-- Use beans and peas (in burritos and other recipes for increasing fiber)
-- Prepare in bulk and freeze (e.g. chili or spaghetti sauce)

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Kevin Jeffers is the managing editor of The Chanticleer and an intern at The Anniston Star. He can be reached at (256) 782-8192 or at chantyme@gmail.com. You can read his weekly ramblings at kevinflashjeffers.blogspot.com.

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