1. Brevard, P B. "Residence of college students affects dietary intake, physical activity, and serum lipid levels." Journal of the American Dietetic Association 96.1 (1996):35.
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This article reports the findings of a study in which the dietary intake of college student living on and off-campus were compared. The study found there were significant differences in the serum lipid levels and protein intake of students living on and off-campus. For example, the percentage of energy attained from protein sources was higher for students living off-campus. This study is thus useful because it signifies that on-campus dining and exercise facilities play a large role in promoting better diets and influencing serum lipid levels of students. It implies that campus foodservice facilities should challenge themselves to offer appetizing yet nutritionally rich foods.
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2. Cason, Katherine L., and Tionni R. Wenrich. "Health and nutrition beliefs, attitudes, and practices of undergraduate college students: a needs assessment." Topics in Clinical Nutrition 17.3 (2002): 52-70.
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This article reports the results of a qualitative survey conducted in 6 focus groups consisting of undergraduate college students. The survey posed questions students questions about their perception of health, eating habits, and nutrition. The most relevant finding was that in 4 out of 6 focus groups, participants felt that the food at on-campus dining facilities was "not healthy". They companied about the prices of healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, and remarked about the tendency of these on-campus eateries to serve high-fat foods such as pizza and hamburgers. Interestingly enough, one participant even addressed concern about the sanitation and hygiene of dining hall workers. This article thus supports that unhealthy, unhygienic on-campus dining facilities play a role in the poor nutrition habits of college students.
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3. Greaney, Mary L., et al. "College students' barriers and enablers for healthful weight management: a qualitative study." Journal of nutrition education and behavior 41.4 (2009): 281-286.
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The study is important because it reports a qualitative list of factors college students felt served as barriers to healthy weight management. This list includes factors such as "food served at dining facilities" and "high monetary cost associated with healthful behavior". The finding that high monetary cost is correlated with healthful behavior ties well into my topic because it implies that students with less money are likely to struggle more than those with money to supplement their meal plan in healthy ways.
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4. Weighing in College Students' Diet and Exercise Behaviors
Shirley Haberman PhD, CHES & Deborah Luffey MS, RD, LDN Published online: 24 Mar 2010. |
This article reports the findings of a survey in which University of Pittsburgh students were questioned about their health behaviors. The study is useful because it showed that 76% of the students reported eating the same foods day after day, with more students living on-campus reporting that they eat the same foods day after day (84.9%) than those living off-campus (76%). These findings are significant because they imply that the style of campus foodservice facilities restricts dining options for students.
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5. Kasparek, Danella Gilmore, et al. "Selected health behaviors that influence college freshman weight change." Journal of American College Health 56.4 (2008): 437-444.
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This study explored various health behaviors that may contribute to the weight gain freshmen are noted to experience their first year at college. The study found that freshmen gained weight during their freshman year at a rate 6.7 times greater than the weight gain expected for an adult living in the United States. It also reports that the mean BMI for freshmen increased significantly from their baseline to follow-up appointments.
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6. Mihalopoulos, Nicole L., Peggy Auinger, and Jonathan D. Klein. "The Freshman 15: is it real?." Journal of American College Health 56.5 (2008): 531-534.
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This article details a study in which a sample of freshmen were surveyed to determine if they experienced significant weight and/or BMI changes. The survey results confirmed that freshman do experience significant weight gain at a rate 5.5 that of the general population. The authors claim that this weight trajectory could lead to obesity if continued for several years. This study is important because it highlights the significance of health promotion interventions for students between the transition from high school to dorm life.
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7. Nelson, Melissa C., and Mary Story. "Food environments in university dorms: 20,000 calories per dorm room and counting." American journal of preventive medicine 36.6 (2009): 523-526.
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In this article, researchers detailed a study in which researchers took inventory of the food and beverage items in the dorms of a random sample of students. Most of these participants (83%) were first-year undergraduates, and 85% were on a university meal plan providing ≥14 meals per week. The study found that the mean number of food and beverage items in each dorm room was 47, and that the average calorie content in each dorm was 22,888. This study is important because it shows that despite being enrolled in full-service meal plans, first-year students still keep a wide array of mostly unhealthy snacks in their dorm rooms. The author states campus food environments may be important targets for nutrition intervention strategies.
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8. Peterson, S. "Positive changes in perceptions and selections of healthful foods by college students after a short-term point-of-selection intervention at a dining hall." Journal of American College Health 58.5 (2010):425.
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This article reports the results of a 3-week intervention program implemented in the ding hall of a large, public Midwestern university. The intervention involved placing bright indicators such as posters and signs near healthful food choices as well as distributing flyers throughout the dining hall. A survey conducted following the intervention shows that 22% of students became more aware of healthful food choices at the dining hall after the intervention. Moreover, students self-reported that 7 out of 14 of their observed health behaviors improved. This study is important because it shows that interventions in the dining hall, such as collaborating with dining staff to consistently offer a variety of healthy food choices, can improve the eating behaviors of college students.
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