Habits -- good or bad -- begun in college can last a lifetime
During the college years, it's common for students' activity levels to decrease as their waistlines increase. What's the harm of a few pounds? Habits students develop now -- and the pounds they put on -- could last a lifetime.
"It's always a lot easier to prevent something than it is to address it after the problem has occurred and you see the negative health effects resulting from your behaviors," said Jeanne Johnston, assistant professor at Indiana University's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
Johnston studies physical activity, health and quality of life issues facing various age groups. One study involving college freshmen found that almost half of the students already had at least two risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol. Alice Lindeman, associate professor in the School of HPER, said it can be exciting for students to try new foods and eat whenever they want.
Alice Lindeman
"What you eat today stays on your body and adds to what you eat tomorrow," Lindeman said. "You have to eat for today and plan for tomorrow."
Johnston said little research has been done on how to help this age group become healthier.
"It's particularly pertinent because this is the time when they're establishing their lifelong behaviors," Johnston said. "It's the right time -- they're out there on their own. It's a good time to talk with them about why this is important."
These strategies could help students get their school years off to a healthy start:
- Be physically active throughout the day. Students could walk or ride a bike to class as opposed to taking a bus or car, walk or ride bikes to local places like stores, making an effort to accumulate 10,000 steps a day.
- Plan exercise. Johnston encourages students to make exercise part of their daily schedules. She says time has been cited as a major barrier to exercise. How much exercise is enough? She said 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week or 20 minutes of vigorous exercise three days a week will suffice. Students also could consider joining intramural or club sports.
- Manage stress. Stress can have a negative impact on health and well-being. It decreases immune function and contributes to weight gain, particularly around the mid-section. Physical activity has been shown to improve mood and have a positive impact on stress.
- Avoid late night snacks. When eating too late at night, you tend to select foods that are convenient (pizza, popcorn, chips) or bring comfort (cookies, pop) but are not mini meals that have variety and balance, Lindeman said. After too many late night meals or snacks, you start missing breakfast and become even hungrier later in the day.
- Remember lessons learned at home. Students can make many more choices about when and what they eat. Lindeman encourages them to stick to the healthy routines established at home.
- Get enough sleep. A lack of sleep has been shown to have a negative impact on health, contributing to weight gain, increased late-night snacking and a negative impact on focus and performance.
