Recommended Diets for College Students

When students first enter college, their diets often get worse and they often increase weight. There are several factors responsible for these changes. But, there’re also some actions that can be taken to avoid the weight gain and decline in Diet value that may occur during the college years.

Meal and Snack Patterns and Serving Sizes

Meals are often skipped by college students, and management of food intake and weight is frequently nonexistent or disordered. Class and work plan change daily, as well as every semester. But, structured eating patterns help students’ academic presentation. A study by Mickey Trockel, Dennis Eggett, Michael Barnes, and for example, found a positive link among eating breakfast and first-year college students’ grade-point averages.

Lifestyle changes, limited finances, peer pressure, and access to food also contribute to irregular eating patterns. College students have small variety in their diet and often turn to high-fat snacks. A common mistake is underestimating serving size, meaning they often eat more than they think they are intake.

Food and Nutrient Intakes

Of the three nutrients that provide calories, carbohydrate and fat intake often exceed suggested levels. College students also tend to have a low intake of dietary fiber, part-time jobs, and variable homework lots can disrupt common eating pattern among college students, leading to unhealthy habits that may be hard to break. Although these difficulties, it is essential for students to find time for nutritious and different foods.

Which is essential for intestinal health? In terms of vitamins, a low vitamin C type has been connected with college students’ low intake of fruits and. In terms of minerals, iron, calcium, and zinc intake are low, while sodium intake is normally higher than suggested.

Male college students are more likely to meet dietary intake recommendations for the meat, dry beans, rooster, fish, and nuts group; from the rice, bread, cereal, and pasta group; and from the vegetable food group than are females. Males seem to eat further food overall and therefore has a higher energy intake. Female college students tend to eat too few breads, grains, and dairy products. In addition, it is estimated that about 10 percent of college students drink more than fifteen alcoholic beverages per week, more impairing the value of their diet.

Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are other common with college girls than among the general population. This is related to body image dissatisfaction girls that are underweight, as measured by their body mass index, sometimes think they to be overweight. The incidence of anorexia and bulimia may boost when there is excessive preoccupation with weight, academic achievement, body image, and eating, as well as during stressful periods, such as final exams.

Recommendations for Improvement

There’re many actions that college students can take to eat in a healthy way and enjoy their college years without jeopardizing their health from unnecessary weight gain or weight loss. Among several recommendations are:

Get at Least Eight Hours of Sleep a Night

Lack of sleeps affects one’s ability to think and makes one feel tired. Sleep lack also seems to be connected with weight problems.

Avoid Skipping Meals

When a meal is skipped, the following hunger may cause one to overeat.

Eat Breakfast

Which helps attentiveness and increases the likelihood of consuming calcium, folic acid, and Vitamin C.? These nutrients are regularly low in the diet of college students.

Manage Portion Sizes

If portion sizes are underestimating, one may eat extra calories than are needed. Furthermore, the availability of a large variety and mass quantities of “dorm” food pizza, soda, etc. may help overeating and an important increase of total energy intake.

Drink Water and Eat Fruit during the Day

Water is free of calorie and fruits help control urges to eat and contribute fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Exercise Regularly

Regular physical exercise helps burn off calories; helps manage stress, and help mental and physical stamina.

Become general with the campus environment and the foods that are available. Most colleges and universities have a selection of eateries, each with a different format, theme, and food selection.

Well-Planned Diet

Try the low-calorie, low-fat, and vegetarian choice accessible around campus. As part of a well-planned diet, these things can help manage whole energy intake and introduce one to items that can become part of a regular diet plan.

Keep low-fat and low-calorie food and drink in the dorm room. This will help manage calorie intake when snacking, particularly when eating late at night.

By : Natural Health News