“The majority of U.S. adults are overweight, nearly one in five are daily smokers, and one in five consumed at least five alcoholic drinks in a day at least once in a year, according to government's national health survey,” said today’s Seattle Times.
College students participate in many of these unhealthy activities, and live incredibly unhealthy lifestyles overall.
First, dorm food comes in gigantic portions and includes an array of delicious, though fattening, options--ranging from jumbo burgers to greasy onion rings to giant cookies, for relatively cheap prices. The “freshman 15” is definitely not a myth. The process toward obesity and heart disease, if not begun in childhood, probably starts in college.
Secondly, college students are generally inactive, with few exceptions, spending time in front of the TV and computer. AIM and e-mail become second language; exercise becomes nonexistent, a chore rather than leisure.
Third, drinking and parties lead to frequent alcohol binges.
Fourth, the demands of homework and the attraction of fun activities result in little sleep at night and frequent naps during the day.
The solution is a healthy balance between junk food and exercise, activities and sleep. I personally choose to abstain from all alcohol, but for those who do drink, moderation is key to long-term health. Personally, I don’t want to become another sad statistic in a government health survey.
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