Food - for some it's all about the taste, but for most Ball State University students it's about getting as much as possible for the lowest price. The benefits of buying food in bulk are nice on the wallet, but health concerns are another important consideration.
Ball State already offers education about how to maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating and exercising properly in the form of required physical education classes, but students need to take on some of the responsibility as well. Ball State students need to address the problems of unhealthy eating and oversized portions before obesity becomes a bigger problem than it already is.
In the last 20 years, the recommended portion sizes haven't changed in any significant way. Healthy choices are the same, but the portion sizes and the cheap, fattening food available today make it seem like everyone needs more calories for less money. For college students, young metabolisms might offset poor eating habits and choices in the short term, but the long term reality is that habits are hard to change.
Ball State students can take a few simple steps now to ensure obesity doesn't become a problem in the future. The first and most obvious step is to become more aware of what food choices are healthy. The government makes this chore easy by providing a daily caloric allocation with the food pyramid, but if students don't familarize themselves with how to properly it the pyramid is nothing more than a fancy chart.
Students can also take advantage of the resources available at Ball State. The School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science offers numerous classes focused solely on how to live a more healthy life. Everyone who needs a few hours outside of their major to graduate should consider health classes that provide lifelong lessons on how to live well as a viable first option.
Overall, the best plan students can follow is to recognize and address the problems of obesity before they cause major issues later in life. Every student would be wise to assess their eating habits to spot potential problems and use the resources available to make a healthy change. A few Carter's hot dogs every once in a while fit in fine with a healthy lifestyle, but the up-sized combo meal should be sworn off.
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