In a recent survey put out to the St. Thomas University Class of 2020, 82 per cent said half or more of their total food choices were unhealthy ones, a statistic that not only affects their physical health but mental health as well.
In response to the perpetually popular discussion surrounding university eating habits, I recently conducted a survey to find out more about students’ eating habits and 70 students responded. The results were fascinating.
It showed that the main problem wasn’t so much the unhealthy choices itself, but how they were impacted mentally because of these habits and the negative stigma surrounding food. Low-self esteem and body image negativity was the dominant response that many students felt as an impact from food and eating habits.
Some blame their unhealthy habits on the cafeteria menu and quality, others on the stress or lack of time. Still, one thing is certain: Not enough has been said about the relationship between the stressful transition of university and the effect it has on student’s nutrition and well being.
This is an issue that Anna Jackson, dietician at the University of New Brunswick Health Center deals with everyday.
Behind her desk, with a modest black dress, speckled freckles, youthful eyes and a single brown braid running down her shoulder, she helps hundreds of students a year back away from unhealthy choices.
Jackson said university is stressful and during this time “nutrition slips down the list of priorities. The lifestyle isn’t the healthiest.”
Parties and social events involve treats and alcohol, plus the cafeteria offers two selections of dessert a meal, pudding, jello, and ice cream every day. It’s sometimes difficult for students to resist.
Around 44 per cent of survey respondents at St. Thomas said they didn’t really know how to make healthy nutrition choices. Without this knowledge, students won’t have the necessary tools needed to know how to take care of your body and give it the fuel it needs to perform.
Sometimes, though, the problem isn’t overeating, but not eating enough.
Maddi Downs, a St. Thomas University student, doesn’t eat breakfast four times a week, a habit common to many students. She said every time she skips the meal, she feels different.
“I can’t get my brain rolling.”
This is a common occurrence for students who don’t find time for breakfast in their busy schedule.
St. Thomas University student Kailer Boyne said he “probably wouldn’t fall asleep in Aquinas class if [he] ate [breakfast].”
Many students replace breakfast with coffee, which supresses their appetite, leading to them lack in the nutrients they need from healthy sources of food.
According to Jackson, this makes students miss the opportunity to “fuel their brain,” leaving them handicapped for studies.
Substituting coffee for breakfast makes some St. Thomas students like Brianna Workman feel “a little sick” after.
The schedule at STU’s cafeteria doesn’t help. On weekends, they open at 10:30 a.m., leaving many students unable to receive the nutrition they need.
“I’m usually in my room starving,” St. Thomas University student Hailey Frenette said. “There just needs to be a better option.”
Students are “so hungry they tend to overeat,” said Jackson.
Although the cafeteria provides weighed portions and the chef makes a balanced menu, the cafeteria staff cannot force students to limit the amount of food they’re taking or what type of food they put on their plate. As a result, students sometimes stuff themselves, overwhelmed by the selection.
“Most students wouldn’t have dessert every night,” Jackson said about students’ lives before university. Now, with a bounty of desserts available every day, many stack up their plates with multiple desserts, sometimes after having two servings of dinner.
Due to these unhealthy habits, it can lead to a decrease in self-esteem and body positivity which can impact students’ ability to feel accepting of themselves. The body and mind are connected and only once students start treating their body right, accepting themselves, and making the right choices about food, will they be more prepared to focus on the next challenges that university throws at them.
