As incoming freshmen enter Ball State University, the predominant thought on many minds is, "How do I avoid the freshman 15?"
Eating the correct serving sizes of food and exercising regularly can help prevent the dreaded freshman 15, as well as many weight-related diseases.
Jan Elsten, dietician at Medical Consultants in Muncie, said Americans are less healthy than they were 20 years ago. Americans rarely eat the correct foods and consume too many bad foods, she said.
In addition to consuming large quantities of unhealthy foods, Elsten said portion distortion has become a problem. People don't realize what correct serving sizes are and they feel they need to get more for their dollar by buying products in bulk, she said. For example, instead of getting an eight ounce bottle of soda Americans purchase a 32 ounce bottle.
"We are larger and heavier than we were 20 ago, and not as active, but we are eating larger amounts, so it's just the concern of the obesity epidemic that we are in," said Elsten.
Portion sizes have not changed over the years, however, Elsten said people's perception of what the sizes should be have changed. Dieticians are still instructing people to eat the same portions they would have eaten 20 years ago, she said.
Rebekah Rogers, dietetic intern at Ball State University, said bulk purchases contribute to more frequent diagnoses of obesity and weight-induced diseases.
Type II Diabetes, heart disease and other weight-related diseases are increasing because Americans are not taking care of their bodies, she said. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of all Americans, but people can avoid heart disease if they watch what and how much they eat, Rogers said.
The increased diagnoses of weight-induced diseases have also caused insurance rates to increase, she said.
Consumers need to take better care of their bodies, and a good way to start is by changing eating habits, Rogers said. One way to begin changing eating habits is to eat smaller portions of food, she said. The easiest way to start eating smaller portions is by looking at the food label on products, Rogers said.
Food labels state how much a serving is for that food product, said John Webster, director of public affairs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.
According to the Food and Drug Administration Web site, servings are standardized to make it easier to compare similar foods. The label shows how many calories the product contains and what the nutrition levels are.
"The label contains the number of calories per serving, breaks fat down into saturated and trans saturated fats; includes cholesterol, sodium and potassium; breaks carbohydrates into sugars and fiber and includes protein, vitamins, calcium and iron," Webster said.
The nutrition facts label is based on a 2,000 to 2,500 daily calorie diet, which is called a reference diet, said Webster. The daily nutrition limits are listed on the label in the footnotes, he said. The footnotes tell people how much of what they need to consume in grams and milligrams opposed to percents, he said.
There is a certain amount of calories a person should be taking in everyday, Webster said. The amount is different for everyone and depends on the person's age, sex, height, weight, activity level and whether he or she is trying to lose, gain or maintain his or her current weight, he said.
A typical diet for a physically active male would be between 1,400 and 3,200 calories, he said.
Another way for consumers to understand the serving sizes they should be eating would be to look at the food guide pyramid, said Rogers. The food guide pyramid is government mandated and up-to-date, she said.
To become a healthier human being a person needs to eat a variety of foods that includes fruits, vegetables and grains, said Webster. The new dietary guidelines have moved toward liquid oils and mono saturated fats, he said. Consumers need to watch their saturated and trans saturated fat intake, to make sure they do not consume too much, he said. And if at all possible consumers should eliminate trans saturated fats from their diets, Webster said. If a person follows a diet made especially for him and exercises on a daily basis he are on his way to leading a healthier life, he said.
In order to achieve better health, becoming physically active is needed in addition to eating properly, said Webster. To keep the body in good condition an aerobic exercise at a moderate level for at least 30 minutes every day is required, he said.
"Sixty minutes of physical activity a day is recommended in order to prevent weight gain," said Webster, "And if in the process of trying to lose weight 90 minutes a day is required."
Webster said to lose weight people need to burn more calories than their body takes in. Then Americans have to learn to balance both the calories being consumed and the calories being burned, he said. Instead of Americans eating what and how much they want they need to follow the serving sizes on the labels, Rogers said.
"Our perceptions of the portion sizes have changed. Americans just want more," said Elsten.
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