By Nyah Abdala
College students in the U.S. need to put down the pizza and pick up a salad.
The rising rate of obesity on college campuses is too big to ignore. Over the past few years, the rate of obesity has made a shift in the wrong direction.
According to a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in 1991, no state in the U.S. had an obesity rate of 20 percent or more. The report also states that as of 2013, no state in the U.S. has an obesity rate of 25 percent or less.
So why is the rate of obese college students continuing to rise?
For many students, the No. 1 excuse is simply not having enough time to exercise, or not being able to afford a healthier diet.
A huge factor in weight gain, especially in college, is a result of the excessive consumption of alcohol and the lack of sleep, according to Pablo Abdala, a personal fitness trainer from Kingston, Jamaica. [a]
Many college students condone these practices and label these habits as “normal.”
A crucial fact that many young adults overlook is that their fast metabolisms will not stick with them forever.
If these young adults don’t become more active and start consuming more healthy and fat-burning foods, then their metabolism will slow down, which then leads to weight gain.
These bad lifestyle choices not only paint a gloomy picture for the body’s outer appearance, but it causes internal harm as well. Poor lifestyle choices contribute to obesity related disorders such asdiabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia. [b]
Graduating SBI student, Koscha McIntosh, from West Palm Beach, Fla., said her No. 1 reason for not working out consistently is the lack of a gym membership.
“I don’t have a gym membership and don’t want to come out of pocket on a monthly basis for one,” McIntosh said. “As a college student, my goal is to save as much as possible and unhealthy food choices just happen to be less expensive.”
McIntosh’s case supports the theory of why students opt for unhealthier lifestyles; because, it is more convenient and less costly.
Jamal Sims, a third year biology student from Bowie, Md., said he wasn’t raised to make healthy eating decisions, because he was involved in sports.
“I was never raised to have the healthiest eating habits so it was never really as important to me, especially because I played sports my entire life,” Sims said. “As I got older and became less involved in sports, due to the tearing of my ACL, I have tried to adapt a more healthier diet because I fell short in that area.”
It’s important to keep in mind that as people get older, the likeliness of gaining weight increases.
[c]
Daniel Higgins, a fourth year psychology major from Tampa, Fla. said she allows herself a few cheat days, but always make it a point to stay in the gym.
“I always keep my health in mind,” Higgins said. “Even though I may cheat on a few meals or skip the gym a few times per week, I always find the time to visit the gym and stay as active as possible. I was raised…to always remain active, so having those thoughts instilled in me at such a young age, has only allowed the easy transition into my adult life.”
Making healthier lifestyle changes is a start to the journey of a healthier and a better body—both physically and mentally.
Cutting off old habits can be a bit challenging, but by considering the benefits in the long run, they will be well worth the sacrifices.
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