Recognizing the need for action!
35% of college students are obese/overweight...
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The "freshman 15" is pretty well know. Often a common fear of incoming freshman, the potential weight-gain for seems to be an inevitable fate for all freshman college students. However, it is not just freshman year...
Soon the "sophomore 10", "junior 5", and "senior 15" add on to the "freshman 15", making weight gain in college quite a large issue.
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The National College Health Risk Behavior Survey suggests that as many as 35% of college students maybe overweight or obese. It is a cycle that is extremely hard to break. It is a lifestyle. And a lot of times lifestyle choices are being formed and modified during college where dietary and exercise decisions are made independently.
A recent study from Northwestern Medicine and Northeastern Illinois University found that about 95% of college students do not eat the recommended amount of fruits or vegetables (which is about 5 or more servings a day) and over 60% of students do not get three or more days of vigorous exercise for at least 20 minutes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that over 5.2 million college students are obese.
Obesity is clearly not an issue that is just found among children and adults. It is actually during the absolute freedom that comes with college to make independent food choices as well as the encompassing college lifestyle of partying, drinking, eating late night unhealthy food, no income, and lacking sleep, that weight gain seems to be an inevitable trend in the past 30 years. During young adults’ crucial developmental years of independence, many are venturing down a path towards creating or continuing a negative lifestyle for the rest of adulthood.
Still not convinced?
1. Obesity/weight-gain leads to deathly diseases...
3. If obesity rates continue at the same rate they are now, 51% of the population will be obese by 2030!
We as a university need to step up and break this trend.
Now.
A recent study from Northwestern Medicine and Northeastern Illinois University found that about 95% of college students do not eat the recommended amount of fruits or vegetables (which is about 5 or more servings a day) and over 60% of students do not get three or more days of vigorous exercise for at least 20 minutes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that over 5.2 million college students are obese.
Obesity is clearly not an issue that is just found among children and adults. It is actually during the absolute freedom that comes with college to make independent food choices as well as the encompassing college lifestyle of partying, drinking, eating late night unhealthy food, no income, and lacking sleep, that weight gain seems to be an inevitable trend in the past 30 years. During young adults’ crucial developmental years of independence, many are venturing down a path towards creating or continuing a negative lifestyle for the rest of adulthood.
Still not convinced?
1. Obesity/weight-gain leads to deathly diseases...
- Obesity-related conditions make up many of the leading causes of death in the United States. With an increase in type II diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, cancer, disability, etc., obesity is responsible for contributing to the increase in healthcare costs and declining health outcomes
3. If obesity rates continue at the same rate they are now, 51% of the population will be obese by 2030!
We as a university need to step up and break this trend.
Now.