Risky diet habits common in college students
Janhavi Purohit
Issue date: 1/18/08 Section: Health and Fitness
Fad diets tend to be something of a "quick fix," according to Dobash.
"I don't think that doing something exotic to try to drop a lot of weight quickly is safe," he said.
Instead, Dobash recommended that students should look to the new food pyramid for health tips instead.
"I think it's really user-friendly, and a good source of information that gives students an idea of what true portions are, and what a typical serving should be," Dobash said. "I just don't endorse any quick fix. I don't think it's safe, and I don't think it's reasonable. What I would try to do in those circumstances is that I would encourage students to look at food choices and see what choices they've made over the course of the day, perhaps to look at it over the course of a few weeks," Dobash said.
Rideout and Dobash attributed students' diet trends toward weight gain in college students towards factors such as stress and peer pressure.
"It's because of having to be on your own for the first time, there's those who get a large number of calories from alcohol; those are the most common factors," Rideout said. Dobash added that another common problem is that students who tend to ignore their health problems for too long.
"They don't hydrate, don't pay attention to needing to eat. They just shut down," he said.
Dobash said students should try to remember that balance is key in losing weight and being healthy.
"I try to stress moderation. I try to stress that there is no miracle diet. If there were, we would all be unanimously endorsing that one diet," Dobash said. "I try to talk about healthy choices for each meal, to choose things to avoid. Try to avoid those long stretches without things to eat, and then eating a massive amount for that meal. Try to find areas where you can improve your food choices and caloric values. Try to work on some sort of exercise program."
Eric Zillmer, Drexel athletics director, agreed that exercise is key in maintaining your health.
"I don't think that doing something exotic to try to drop a lot of weight quickly is safe," he said.
Instead, Dobash recommended that students should look to the new food pyramid for health tips instead.
"I think it's really user-friendly, and a good source of information that gives students an idea of what true portions are, and what a typical serving should be," Dobash said. "I just don't endorse any quick fix. I don't think it's safe, and I don't think it's reasonable. What I would try to do in those circumstances is that I would encourage students to look at food choices and see what choices they've made over the course of the day, perhaps to look at it over the course of a few weeks," Dobash said.
Rideout and Dobash attributed students' diet trends toward weight gain in college students towards factors such as stress and peer pressure.
"It's because of having to be on your own for the first time, there's those who get a large number of calories from alcohol; those are the most common factors," Rideout said. Dobash added that another common problem is that students who tend to ignore their health problems for too long.
"They don't hydrate, don't pay attention to needing to eat. They just shut down," he said.
Dobash said students should try to remember that balance is key in losing weight and being healthy.
"I try to stress moderation. I try to stress that there is no miracle diet. If there were, we would all be unanimously endorsing that one diet," Dobash said. "I try to talk about healthy choices for each meal, to choose things to avoid. Try to avoid those long stretches without things to eat, and then eating a massive amount for that meal. Try to find areas where you can improve your food choices and caloric values. Try to work on some sort of exercise program."
Eric Zillmer, Drexel athletics director, agreed that exercise is key in maintaining your health.
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