While deaths from obesity-related illnesses top the list of causes of deaths in America, STLCC-Meramec students are left with the choice of consuming healthier products or convenient comfort food.
Kelly Glueck
– Managing Editor –
While deaths from obesity-related illnesses top the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s list of causes of deaths in America, STLCC-Meramec students are left with the choice of consuming healthier products or convenient comfort food.
Meramec Biology professor Jay Snaric said that there is no ‘magic bullet’ to fix obesity and that it is ‘multifactoral’ and ‘complex.’
“Understand that everyone is different. There is no one diet that will work for everyone. People must learn about their own bodies and what works best for them,” Snaric said.
Meramec Wellness and Fitness Concepts professor Kimberly McCall suggested a few simple guidelines to help anyone searching for ways to improve his or her health.
“Try and lean toward smaller portions. The larger the portion size, then the more calories, carbs, sugars, etc., that you intake,” McCall said.
McCall also warned students of the risks of high sodium, saturated fats and sugars that find their way in many of the processed foods students know and love.
Meramec student Ben Greaves sat outside the cafeteria eating a slice of pizza.
“I got pizza because it’s pretty much the only thing I like in there. It just tastes better,” Greaves said.
The cafeteria sells more pizza, chicken tenders and burgers than any other product according to Chef Roberts of Treat America.
Coordinator of Service Learning and Civic Engagement, Donna Halsband said comfort and on-the-go convenience foods may not be worth it in the long run.
“I know so many students on campus who eat fast food all the time, and it’s going to kill them. It’s not bad right now, but later on it’s really going to ruin their health,” Halsband said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed heart disease, cancers and stroke as the three leading causes of death in 2007 with diabetes at number seven on the list. Homicide was at the bottom of the list at number 15.
“We need to start treating the obesity epidemic with the urgency that it requires. Obesity significantly increases the risk of heart disease, cancer and Type 2 Diabetes,” Snaric said. “Obesity kills more people than smoking. It puts an unbearable strain on our country’s health care. It’s great that our campus is smoke free, but unfortunately, we have a much greater health and financial problem that is not being addressed.”
Some local campuses are pushing for a more self-sufficient and sustainable campus. For example, Saint Louis University’s Health Science building houses a cafeteria with locally and campus-grown produce, as well as meat from locally-produced farms.
While cost and nutritious options on campus may not be as progressive as St. Louis University’s self-sufficient cafeteria, some students and faculty agree that there have been improvements in the selection of foods in the cafeteria. Halsband said the planned community garden on campus (See story on page 4) is one improvement that will give students an opportunity to choose fresh, healthy options.
According to zumba fitness instructor Liz Kelly, there is more to being healthy than dieting. Exercise can also lead to a fit and healthy lifestyle. Meramec’s physical education requirement has the potential to help students explore alternative ways to enjoy fitness.
Kelly is a Kirkwood resident that lost 110 lbs with diet and exercise. She made it to the second round of Fitness Magazine’s Face of Fitness Cover Contest. Through her yearlong transformation, she said she was never a fan of running, but managed to find something for her.
“I think the most important thing is finding something that works for you. I, for one, do not run. I didn’t before and I don’t now. I hate it. For a while I would drag myself to the gym and get on the elliptical or bike and be miserable, but do it because it was good for me and I wanted to get healthy,” Kelly said. “Zumba changed my life. It’s important for people to find things they can also enjoy.”
Health and nutrition do not have to revolve around strenuous exercise and bottomless salad bars. Kelly said that creating a lifestyle is about balance and finding the right fit.
“I think there is something like that out there for everyone. It’s just a matter of trying everything until you find it.” Kelly said. “I was on a downward spiral, that’s for sure. I had to completely change my life and it has been the best thing ever. Seriously, if I can do it, anyone can.”
