A student’s poor eating habits can lead to a lifetime of illness

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Dr. Joan Bottorff, a professor at the UBCO School of Nursing, is one of several international researchers who published a multi-site study looking at the eating habits of college students. Nearly 12,000 medical students from 31 Chinese universities participated in the study, which aimed to determine the association between eating behaviors, obesity and various diseases.

The point, Dr. Bottorff says, is that many bad eating habits start in college and can continue for decades.

“We know that many students consume high-calorie meals along with sugary foods and drinks, and there is a lot of evidence showing that these types of eating behaviors can lead to obesity,” says Dr. Bottorff. “These are not the only habits that lead to obesity, but they are important and cannot be ruled out.”

The study, recently published in Preventive Medicine Reports, was led by Dr. Shihui Peng of the Jinan University School of Medicine in China. While there is well-established research linking unhealthy diets to many chronic diseases, this study aimed to show a link between poor eating habits and infectious diseases, including colds and diarrhea.

Dr. Bottorff notes that due to the nature of the study, it was not possible to show cause and effect, but the relationship between poor eating habits, obesity, and respiratory disease was well supported.

“There has been biomedical research that also supports this link between obesity and infectious disease, and more recently this has been linked to COVID-19,” he adds. “We know from some of the recent publications related to COVID-19 that obese people were more likely to have serious conditions and outcomes. Reasons that have been offered to explain this increased vulnerability include breathing problems due to the pressure of being overweight and poorer inflammation and immunity.” answers”.

The typical diet of a student with foods high in sugar or calories can become a problem in the long term, since these habits can lead to obesity. Dr. Bottorff says there is evidence showing that stress and anxiety can cause overeating, but overeating can also lead to stress and depression.

“The bottom line here is that we should not ignore this pattern of risk among college youth. It is well documented that a significant portion of students have unhealthy diets,” he adds. “The types of food they eat are linked to obesity. And this can lead to other health problems that are not only linked to chronic disease but also to infectious disease.”

While Dr. Bottorff says students should be taught about healthy eating while in college, the school should have a responsibility to provide healthy and affordable food options for all students.

“We need to think about the food environment we provide for students. We need to make sure our cafeterias and vending machines have healthy food options so they can eat on the go but also make healthy food choices.”

It is not an issue that goes unnoticed. UBC Student Food and Wellness Services work together to address food safety and food literacy and recognize that a lack of affordable food options, coupled with the stress of college life, can negatively impact students’ food choices. students.

Food insecure students have access to a low barrier food bank and a potluck program. Meanwhile, the UBCO Food Services culinary team prioritizes local, organic and sustainably sourced ingredients, and works with a registered dietitian to ensure a wide variety of food options are available to all diners.

Dr. Bottorff agrees that there have been improvements to food options in cafeterias, noting that beverages in many vending machines have been reorganized so that healthier items are at eye level and sugary options are below.

“I know a lot of post-secondary schools are trying to figure out how we can do better and trying to address these issues,” he adds. “It’s great, because four or five years ago we weren’t. So, I think we’re on the right track, but I think we’re a long way from done.”