Food is every college student’s weakness, and just about every American’s weakness. Eating healthy can be difficult, especially when stressed and eating that whole bag of chips can’t be bad, right? Well, actually it can be. In 2017-2018 the prevalence of obesity in the US was 42.4%. That number is getting closer and closer to half of America. Obesity is something the CDC is aiming to stop through several programs that they are a part of, including one called State Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) Program. In Ohio 2015, 34.7% of adults were overweight, with a body mass index (BMI) of 25-29.9 and 30.4% of adults were obese, with a BMI of 30 or greater. Clearly, this epidemic is a big issue in not just the US but also Ohio, specifically. It’s important to maintain a healthy weight because doing so can prevent; Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart conditions, and even some cancers.
It can be difficult to think about how to stay healthy while in college because of the idea of the “freshman 15”. You don’t have to gain weight while at school. By making healthy choices such as eating a well balanced diet can help decrease your risk of obesity and many health conditions. Doing so can help lead to a longer, healthier life.
Eating healthy isn’t just cutting out all the junk food and just eating salads for the rest of your life. Yes, limiting junk food is a good healthy choice, as long as you are eating it in moderation. And eating healthy food isn’t just a switch, if you never eat veggies, eating a veggie at every meal may not be an attainable goal for you, and maybe starting at eating several servings throughout the week may be a better option. Additionally, eating a healthy dinner can taste great too. Here is an example recipe for Mexican Stuffed Peppers( https://www.wellplated.com/mexican-stuffed-peppers/). This recipe uses ground chicken instead of beef and includes several seasonings to make this dish flavorful.
Starting a healthy lifestyle doesn’t just include eating healthy, you should also strive to exercise as well. Please read our article about exercise to learn more here: https://northernreview.org/2021/04/07/exercise-for-college-students/