SOURCE

ANNOTATION

"Nutrition and Well-Being A to Z."

College Students, Diets of.
N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.
<http://www.faqs.org/nutritio
n/Ca-De/College-StudentsDiets-of.html>.

This author discusses the average

eating habits, disorders, and advice
for college students. As stated, it is
difficult to manage a new
environment with limited food
options and an excess workload.
Therefore many helpful tips are
provided in order to lead students
to a healthy lifestyle. As everyone I
am sure has heard of the
freshman 15 which is a familiar
term used within American college
systems. There is a study that
shows males consume more food
overall and meet dietary intake
recommendations. On the other
hand, females do not eat enough
bread or dairy and often find
themselves with an eating disorder.
The author mentions, the
incidence of anorexia and bulimia
may increase when there is
excessive preoccupation with
weight, academic achievement,
body image, and eating, as well as
during stressful periods, such as
final exams. These disorders tend
to occur more in female athletes
due to pressure or excessive
amounts of supplements. However,
weight and health can be
maintained by getting at least eight
hours of sleep, eating breakfast,
exercising regularly, managing
portion sizes and so much more. As
a whole, I learned many tips to help
avoid the freshman 15 or
disorders that can develop
overtime.
There are short and long term
effects of an unbalanced diet and
students do not understand the risk
they are putting themselves at. To
be more specific, the short-term

"Bad College Eating Habits Can

Have Long-term Effects."
Rocky Mountain Collegian.
N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.
<http://www.collegian.com/2

THOUGHTS/CONNECTI
ONS
I felt as though this
was a great article to
use as the start of my
research because it
gave an overview of
what can and does
happen as a college
student. It provides
great examples and I
was able to relate in
many ways. This leads
me to my next article,
which discusses more
specifically about the
bad eating habits that
students obtain.

There were a lot of

insightful tips and
direct quotes from
experienced people,
which I believe was

effects include decreased energy

and contribute to weight gain. On a
more serious note long-term effects
include increased risk of heart
disease, osteoporosis and even
cancer. The director of a Nutrition
Center, Melissa Wdowik, says, The
first problems associated with heart
disease start in the early twenties.
This is not very shocking to me, but
it was scary hearing how young this
disease can develop. Wdowik says
the number one thing college
students lack in their diet is fruits
and veggies. Brittney Stuard
recommends a plate method.
Specifically, half the plate is filled
with fruits and vegetables one
fourth with protein, and one fourth
with grains. This is a useful tip that
I will use in the future. Further,
most students know how to eat
healthy they just chose not to
because of a lack of money or time.
If most students knew the short
and long term effects of an
unbalanced diet it might provide
more motivation. Especially as
college students who become
stressed on a weekly or even daily
basis, a poor diet can result in
decreased focus and energy, which
is exactly what is necessary to get
through stressful times.
Cousineau, Tara M., Debra L.
The author of this article discussed
Franko, Michele Ciccazzo,
the need for a web-based
Marion Goldstein, and Erica
interactive nutrition program.
Rosenthal. "Web-based
Expert believe this is necessary
Nutrition Education for
because, college students have
College Students: Is It
poor nutrition habits and often
Feasible?" Evaluation and
exhibit at-risk weight control
Program Planning. U.S.
behavior; yet, health promotion
National Library of Medicine, efforts on campuses often target
n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.
other risk behaviors such as alcohol
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov and tobacco use. Specifically,
/pmc/articles/PMC3074521/>. weight gain has become a huge
014/03/bad-college-eatinghabits-can-have-long-termeffects/68235/>.

very beneficial.

I chose this article

because it directly
targets college
students. I agree that
most students are
uneducated about
nutrition, which is why
there is such a problem
on college campuses.
The age range of 18-34
mentioned in the
article is a time when

"E-Journals A-Z - J. Murrey Atkins

Library - UNC Charlotte."
Applied Physiology, Nutrition
and Metabolism. 37.6 (2012):
1118-1123 Web. 13 Oct.
2015.

issue on college campuses over the

past few years and is gradually
progressing. Experts wanted to find
a way to address these concerns by
getting feedback from college
students themselves. It is shown
that weight gain occurs mostly
between the ages of 18 and 34,
which are prime college years.
Come to find out, most students are
just simply uneducated about
nutrition. This is because students
have to adjust from the constant
care of their parents to full
responsibility of themselves.
Researchers and educators found
out that 86% of students go online
everyday and therefore internet
would be the best way to address
the problem of nutrition to a large
population. I believe this is a great
idea and coming from a college
student, I would definitely use the
program. One of the best aspects of
the program was the fact that they
use student concerns to build the
base of questions and information.
The purpose of this article was to
determine changes in body weight,
composition, and shape from ones
freshman year to senior year.
Recent studies have shown that
people as young as 20 years old
who show gains of body fat are
associated with heart disease and
mortality. College students have no
idea the importance of their
nutrition, which is why weight gain
and obesity is such an issue.
Throughout the study an
additional anthropometric
assessments along with
questionnaires investigating
environmental, behavioral, and
lifestyle habits, body image and
satisfaction; eating behavior

students first leave

home and have
responsibility for their
health.

I thought this was

interesting because
very few studies have
been conducted over a
four-year span. This
study was very specific
and provided evidence
that health promotion
is needed on college
campuses all over the
world.

Morse, Kristin L., and Judy A.

Driskell. "Observed Sex
Differences in Fast-food
Consumption and Nutrition
Self-assessments and Beliefs
of College Students."
Nutrition Research (29) 3
(2009): 173-79. 6 Oct. 2015.

regulation; stress; and depression

over the 4-year period. The
participants were instructed not eat
up to four hours prior, not drink
alcohol, or participate in physical
activity for up to 12 hours before.
There were 240 participants total,
which consisted of 65% females
and 35% males. Out of the 240,
131 participants came back at the
end of their senior year to reassess.
By the end of the study 70% gained
weight. Of that percentage, males
tended to gain greater amounts of
fat, BMI, and weight than females.
The amount of people who were
overweight-obese went from 18%
at the beginning of freshman year
to 31% at the end of the senior
year. As a whole, over the four
years there was a significant
amount of weight gain in college
students.
The author displayed the
importance of the influence of sex
on fast-food consumption.
Questionnaires were handed to 259
undergraduate students enrolled at
a Midwestern University. Of those
259 students there were 101 men
and 158 women that were all in the
age range of 19-24. In other
studies, college students have
reported eating at fast-food
restaurants six to eight times in
one week. Specifically the author
states, The typical college student
diet is high in fat and sodium and
low in fruits and vegetables. Many
are concerned with this diet
because college students will most
likely continue this style of eating,
as they become an adult, which will
negatively affect their health.
However, a survey for the National
Restaurant Association reported

I enjoyed reading this

article because I am a
college student who
eats fast food. I would
not say that I eat it
more than three times
a week but I definitely
try to limit myself. I am
cautious of my
nutrition, but as the
author stated, fast food
is sometimes just
convenient and where
friends gather.

that 75% of adults are trying to eat

healthier. After students completed
the questionnaire there were four
main reasons why college students
said they ate fast food. Those four
reasons included, limited time,
enjoy the taste, eat with friends
and family, and inexpensive and
economical. More men than women
chose their reason for eating fast
food because it was
economical/inexpensive while more
women than men said able to eat
with family and friends. It was
determined that there are sexdifferences in fast-food
consumption but the large majority
of students indicated that they eat
fast-food one to three times in one
week.
Megumi Murashima. "Maternal
When students enter college they
Parenting Behaviors during
have to adjust to their nutrition in
Childhood Relate to Weight
order to maintain health.
Status and Fruit and
Additionally, a recent survey was
Vegetable Intake of College
conducted which showed that 35%
Students." Journal of
of college students are overweight
Nutrition Education and
and only 5% of students consume
Behavior 44.6 (2012): 556-63. the amount of fruits and vegetables
UNC Library. Web. 12 Oct.
recommended. Therefore, a study
2015.
was completed to see how
important the roles of a mother are
throughout childhood. The Social
Cognitive Theory posits that
behaviors are learned through
individual observation and social
experiences with people and the
surrounding environment. This
theory is used to determine the
relationships being tested. There
were two types of parenting
behaviors, which consisted of
parental supports (acceptance of
the child), and parental control
(demandingness of child). Further,
there were three different
measurements used. Maternal

I chose to use this

article as one of my
sources because it did
not directly have to do
with the choices a
student makes today. It
deals more with the
actions taken during
childhood and I
thought this would be
informative for the
college population; for
their own good and for
their children in the
future.

"The College Students Perception of

Healthful Eating."
Undergraduate Research
Journal for the Human
Sciences. N.p., n.d. Web. 21
Oct. 2015.
<https://www.kon.org/urc/v10
/tsang.html>.

acceptance, psychological
acceptance, and behavioral control.
After the study was completed, it
was proven that behavior control
and child-centered feeding
practices are promoted rather than
psychological control and parentcentered feeding. Using this
method, fruit and vegetable intake
during childhood will be helpful to
the weight of a child in the long
run.
Many students are introduced to
fad diets and conflicting messages
about nutrition. This author
addressed these issues and
pinpointed the main source that the
majority of college students use.
Specifically, The results of this
study suggested that individuals
may either know proper dietary
practices and choose not to apply
them or that they are confused
about them. It was found that
when students are confused they
turn to the internet or friends for
nutritious advice when really they
should consult a healthcare
professional. Facts on the internet
can sometimes be misleading such
as fad diets. These diets are
created by doctors with no
nutritional training and result in
quick weight loss. With quick
weight loss, most of the time
comes weight gain overtime. This
implies that fad diets are not
healthy for ones body and do not
have long-term results. To be clear
a healthy diet includes fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, and low
fat products and college students
as a whole are lacking these key
essentials. Eating healthy is not just
for ones satisfaction or
appearance, but also to prevent

I am not surprised by
anything I read
because I have had
personal experiences
with this information.
Many of my friends
have come to me for
advice or tried a fad
diet that in the long
run did not work. I
myself have used the
internet multiple time
for advice or answers
when really we as
college students need
to seek professionals
for accurate
information.

diseases and to create a better

quality of life. The key factor is that
students need to visit a
professional if they are ever
confused and need additional
advice from a nutritionist.

"Health-Related Variables and

Academic Performance
Among First-Year College
Students: Implications for
Sleep and Other Behaviors."
Taylor & Francis Online.
N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.tandfonline.com/
doi/pdf/10.1080/07448480009
596294>.

In college, a students main

concern is GPA (grade point
average). We strive for the best
grades in order to gain the highest
GPA possible, in hopes to
eventually obtain a job. However,
there are a lot of aspects that
interfere with achieving the highest
GPA possible. These aspects
include exercise, sleep, time, and
stress. The author states that there
is a negative effect on sleep
deprivation in college students. In
fact, the relationship between
sleep habits and higher GPA
appears to be the most significant
finding of this study and provides
strong support for the hypotheses
that sleep habits account for some
for the variance in 1st year college
students GPAs. Another study
mentioned in the article was the
effect of breakfast. In reality, a
student has to wake up earlier
which relates to sleep habits. All of
the stress, time management, and
exercise overall relate to sleeping
habits and each have a great effect
on college students. Many students
sleeping habits are disturbed due
to class, work, and social aspects.

I can easily relate to

this article because I
do not get enough rest
on a daily basis. Most
of the time I do eat
breakfast, but that
requires me to wake up
early on an average
morning. Overall, my
sleep schedule is
disturbed due to stress
and workload in
multiple classes.

Carroll, Chrissy. "Better Academic

Performance - Is Nutrition the
Missing Link?" Today's
Dietitian 16.10 (2014): 64.
Web. 9 Nov. 2015.
<http://www.todaysdietitian.c
om/newarchives/100614p64.s
html>.

The correlation between proper

nutrition and academic
performance is thoroughly
examined. Proper nutrition is the
most important aspect to health,
but society continues to struggle
with children being either underfed
or overfed. In America, most cases
deal with the consumption of more
than the recommended amount of
fat and sugar in a childs diet. Not
only are there health concerns and
consequences for poor nutrition but
also there are education-related
associations with improper eating
habits. The author states,
Compared with other countries
with similar economic
development, the United States
ranks as average in reading and
science and below average in
mathematics. This is because
many do not make proper nutrition
a priority. To avoid such problems,
good quality breakfast consumption
has been proven to increase
academic performance by
improving different cognitive
functions. Further, fruits and
vegetables contain nutrients that
reduce the risk for infection. This
can lead to less days of missing
school and more time learning.
Proper nutrition is an important
aspect of everyday life and by
taking simple steps such as eating
breakfast, fruits and vegetables,
and less consumption of sugar, we
can create a brighter America.

I am able to relate
because when I do not
eat the dailyrecommended amount
of fruits and vegetables
or do not make time for
breakfast, I perform
poorly in school and
classes. I have less
motivation and a
shorter attention span.
Proper nutrition is key
in daily life and this
article helped me to
express just that.

Purcell, Kristen, Lee Rainie, Alan

Heaps, Judy Buchanan, Linda
Friedrich, Amanda Jacklin,
Clara Chen, and Kathryn
Zickuhr. "How Teens Do
Research in the Digital
World." Pew Research Center
Internet Science Tech RSS.
N.p., 31 Oct. 2012. Web. 09
Nov. 2015.
<http://www.pewinternet.org/
2012/11/01/how-teens-doresearch-in-the-digitalworld/>.

The author addresses the issue of

how much online information is
simply at the tips of students
fingers. There is a survey
conducted of high school teachers
drawn from the Advanced
Placement and National Writing
Project. The objective is to obtain a
widespread number of teachers
views on the way that the digital
environment is effecting research
and writing skills of middle and
high school students. Most
teachers are conflicted on their
views. Further, the majority believe
that the digital environment is
mostly positive, but worry about
the quality of information the
students gain. The positive aspects
include a greater depth of
information, widespread
availability, and leads to more
independent researchers. On the
other hand, teachers are concerned
about the overdependence of
search engines such as Google, the
literacy of students, and increasing
distractions. The main conflict is
stated by the author saying,
teachers in this study agree with
the notion that the internet enables
students to access a wider range of
resources than would otherwise be
available but the information
available is overwhelming to most
students. With this being said,
teachers are concerned that there
is too much information for
students to acknowledge and many
do not know how to properly judge
the quality of the source. Overall,
research has changed over the
years due to the widespread
availability and is helpful to
students, but also hinders them in a
way.

Through my research, I
found that many
students use the
internet for quick fixes
or advice for health.
Therefore, I chose this
article to support that
statement. The
internet and more
specifically search
engines such as Google
are used so many
times daily for
schoolwork and for
personal curiosities.
This information helped
me to solidify my
thoughts and advance
my research.