Health Tips > Vitamin Aisle > Healthy Eating Habits for College Kids to Avoid the Freshman 15

Healthy Eating Habits for College Kids to Avoid the Freshman 15

Eating healthy can be a challenge for all of us, but for college students it can be especially hard. The ‘freshman 15’ is a common weight gain for college students as they try to navigate eating healthy on their own. Students’ irregular schedule, part-time jobs, homework and extra activities can disrupt normal eating habits. What they eat may consist of whatever they can grab between classes from a fast food place or the cafeteria. Researchers at Oregon State University surveyed 582 college students in 2011, a majority of which were freshmen, and found they ate less than five servings of fruit and vegetables in a week! Male students reported eating about five servings of fruits and vegetables each week, while female students reported consumption of about four servings per week. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend men and women age 19 to 30 years old, eat 3-4 servings of fruit and 4-5 servings of vegetables each day. A single serving of a fruit or vegetable is approximately half a cup. See some examples below of a single serving.

One Serving of Vegetable

9 cherry tomatoes
1 medium carrot or 6 baby carrots
1/2 cup broccoli florets is about 5 one bite per florette piece
1/2 cup of green beans (a full can is nearly 3 1/2 servings of veggies)

One Serving of Fruit

9 blackberries
55 blueberries (2 handfuls)
1/2 cup strawberries is roughly 4 medium strawberries
50 grapes
1 small apple
1/2 large peach

When nutrition falls short of the recommended servings, it may be time to consider a multivitamin and mineral supplement to receive the nutrients needed for optimal health. Cooper Complete® Healthy Body Pack supplies a multivitamin and mineral supplement and two omega-3 soft gels in a convenient cellophane packet.

Key Vitamins and Supplements for Students
B vitamins (B6, B12, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin). Each B vitamin has a variety of functions, many of which are key to turning food into energy. Often found in fortified foods, such as cereal.

Vitamin C. Boosts alertness and increases concentration. Vitamin C is required for making the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which affect the part of your brain where attention is controlled. Found in foods such as red and green peppers, kiwis, oranges, strawberries, broccoli and tomatoes—which we have already noted students are not eating enough of.

Vitamin D. Most of us know that vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus to promote healthy bone formation. Yet, three-quarters of the population is deficient in vitamin D. It is also thought that optimal vitamin D levels support a healthy immune system; which may be compromised in students by the stress they experience when leaving the structure of home and strive to adapt to life on their own. The multivitamin in the Healthy Body Pack contains 2000 IU of vitamin D to achieve optimum levels.

Omega-3. Inflammation is another side effect of stress. Among other things, inflammation is linked to heart disease and type II diabetes. Research has shown that omega-3s reduce inflammation. It is recommended to eat fatty-fish, such as salmon or trout, at least twice a week or supplement with omega-3. The two soft gels in the Healthy Body Pack contain 1200mg of omega-3 as DHA and EPA. As an added bonus—omega-3 is also important for cognitive function.

While we believe that getting the necessary nutrients from a healthy, well balanced diet is ideal; we realize that this is not happening for many students. Cooper Complete Healthy Body Pack can offer an alternative to getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals for optimum health.

Article provided by Cathy Sides, Director of Customer Relations, Cooper Concepts Inc.