Eating Habits of College Kids: What's Really Going On?

Let's talk about what college students are eating. A study of undergrads in a nutrition course found that their daily intake of healthy foods like fiber, whole grains, fruits, veggies, and dairy was pretty low. Oops! On the flip side, they were having way too much added sugar. The good news? When it was easy and affordable to eat healthy, and when they knew more about nutrition, they tended to make better choices. It's clear that something needs to change to make healthy eating easier for young adults. College is a big deal when it comes to setting lifelong eating habits. So, it's important to understand what's going on with these students. Researchers sent out surveys to 762 students during their first week of class. They wanted to see how their eating matched up with U. S. dietary guidelines. The results? Not great. Students were falling short on fiber, whole grains, fruits, veggies, and dairy. But they weren't shy about sugar. This is a big deal because eating well during college can set up good habits for life. So, what's stopping them? Researchers found that cost, ease, and knowledge made a difference. When healthy food was cheap and easy to find, and when students knew more about nutrition, they made better choices. This study shows that we need to help college students overcome the hurdles to healthy eating. It's not just about telling them to eat better, but also about making it easier and more affordable for them to do so. After all, healthy habits today can lead to healthier lives tomorrow.