Suzanne (Otis, 1989) found it hard to resist the potato chips and nachos her roommate kept in constant supply. She started nibbling between meals and late at night. To keep up with her studies, she cut back on her swimming schedule and got much less exercise than when she lived at home. Whenever there was a paper to write or a test to study for, she would prepare herself with a snack-something she thought was healthy, like a granola bar or a frozen yogurt. Because she was too busy to have lunch, she started eating bigger breakfasts-orange juice, bacon, sausage, eggs, hash browns, toast with butter and jam, and black coffee instead of the fruit juice, cereal, and skim milk she always ate at home. By dinnertime she was starved, and the cafeteria food looked good. She loved the fried chicken, and a helping or two from the salad bar seemed like a prudent alternative to the french fries.
Her friend Eric found himself in a similar pattern-putting a lot of time into keeping up with his course work, spending less time than before on sports and bike riding, eating at fast-food restaurants, skipping meals from time to time, and bingeing on candy bars as a substitute for lunch several times a week.
Before the semester was over, Eric's friends started teasing him about the spare tire around his waist, and Suzanne was having trouble zipping up clothes that fit her perfectly a couple of months earlier (Otis, 1989).
The key to good nutrition is a varied diet that includes every kind of nutrient. The Food Guide Pyramid calls for limited daily servings of fats, dairy products, oils and sweets; more servings of fruits and vegetables; and even greater portions of breads, cereals and pastas.
Group 1 consists of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dried beans and peas, and nuts. This group is a chief source of proteins and also provides vitamin B1, iron, niacin, phosphorus, and some starch. One or two daily servings are recommended.
Group 2 consists of leafy, green, and yellow vegetables. This group includes greens of all kinds. These vegetables supply large amounts of vitamin A, the B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium and iron. They also provide fiber, which helps regulate the intestines. Nutritionists recommend one or more daily servings from this group.
Group 3 consists of citrus fruits, raw cabbage, salad greens and tomatoes. This group includes all citrus fruits and their juices. These foods are good sources of vitamin C and they also furnish vitamin A, calcium and iron. One or more daily servings are recommended.
Group 4 consists of potatoes, other vegetables and non-citrus fruits. This group includes all vegetables and fruits not in groups 2 and 3. At least one potato a day is recommended for active people, both children and adults. Potatoes are good sources of vitamin C if baked or boiled. A daily serving of another food from group 4 is also suggested.
Group 5 consists of bread, breakfast cereals and flour. This group includes biscuits and crackers. All these foods should consist of whole grain or enriched flour. At least four daily servings are recommended.
Group 6 consists of butter and fortified margarine. These foods are chiefly energy producers and sources of vitamin A. Butter or margarine should be included in the daily diet, but no specific amount is recommended.
Group 7 consists of milk and milk products. Milk in any form makes up this group. Milk and cheese are sources of vitamin A, vitamin B2, calcium and proteins. A child needs 3 to 4 cups of milk daily and an adult should have at least 2 cups (Moquette-Magee, 1994).
The first dietary "standards" were formulated in the United States in 1940. During the Second World War, a Food and Nutrition Board was established as a part of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences (Arlin, 1972). The information available for each nutrient was considered by a separate committee consisting of those people most actively involved in research or who for other reasons were considered most expert in that particular area of nutrition. The composition of the board since that time has continued to include the nutrition leaders of the country, and this group has met approximately every five years to consider implications of new research and to issue revisions to the recommendations. National Research Council (1989) stated, "Recommended Dietary Allowances are the levels of intake of essential nutrients that are judged by the Food and Nutrition Board to be adequate to meet the known nutrient needs of practically all healthy persons." Recommended Dietary Allowances provide a safety factor appropriate to each nutrient and exceed the actual requirements of most individuals. The objective was to provide standards to serve as a goal for good nutrition. Recommended allowances for nutrients are amounts intended to be consumed as part of a normal diet.
By replacing manual labor with machines, industrialization has reduced the body's need for a high-calorie diet. New technologies have revamped the food supply by extending "shelf-life", developing hundreds of new processed food products, and using flavor enhancers, colorings, preservatives and other laboratory-derived additives. These substances alter the taste, texture, color, feel, flavor, smell and nutrient content of products lining supermarket shelves. Only half the calories consumed by the average American are derived from wholesome foods in the basic four food groups-vegetables and fruits, whole grains, lean meats and legumes, and milk and milk products. The rest are derived from sugar, white flour and fat (Garrison, 1985).
Although most students know that excessive consumption of fat, sugar, and salt increases one's risk for specific health problems, such as heart disease and high blood pressure, most students cannot choose between common foods on the basis of their fat, sugar, salt, or fiber content (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1989). The eating habits of many students appear to include frequent consumption of fried foods as well as snacks that are high in sugar and salt.
Surveys reveal that the eating habits of students are often not similar to their knowledge about nutrition. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (1989) stated, "although 73 percent of the students knew that eating fatty foods may cause heart problems, they reported diets high in fat consumption."
Despite the continual changes in food products, one factor remains constant-food is the only source of nutrition we have, regardless of how, when, and where it is prepared (Hafen, 1981). We can't always dictate how food reaches us, but we can be nutritionally knowledgeable. We can learn to meet our nutritional needs in the reality of today's eating patterns.
The ANOVA examining the percentage of subjects who eat three meals a day does not have a significant effect (F (3,30) = .474, p. > .05).
The ANOVA examining the percentage of subjects who eat breakfast everyday does not have a significant effect (F (3,30) = .619, p. > .05).
The ANOVA examining the percentage of subjects who eat lunch everyday does not have a significant effect (F (3,30) = 1.087, p. > .05).
The ANOVA examining the percentage of subjects who eat dinner everyday does not have a significant effect (F (3,30) = 1.856, p. > .05).
The ANOVA examining the percentage of subjects who eat fast food does not have a significant effect (F (3,30) = .348, p. > .05).
The ANOVA examining the percentage of subjects who eat 6-10 servings of breads or cereals everyday does not have a significant effect (F (3,30) = 2.799, p. = .057).
The ANOVA examining the percentage of subjects who eat 2-3 servings of vegetables everyday does not have a significant effect (F (3,30) = 2.179, p. > .05).
The ANOVA examining the percentage of subjects who eat 2-3 servings of fruits everyday has a significant effect (F (3,30) = 6.307, p. = .002). The subjects who felt they have a good diet consumed more fruits.
The ANOVA examining the percentage of subjects who eat 2 servings of dairy everyday does not have a significant effect (F (3,30)= 1.187, p. > .05).
The ANOVA examining the percentage of subjects who eat no more than 2 servings of meat, poultry or fish products everyday does not have a significant effect (F (3,30) = .374, p. > .05).
The ANOVA examining the percentage of subjects who drink 64 ounces of water everyday does not have a significant effect (F (3,30) = 2.881, p. = .052).
The ANOVA examining the percentage of subjects who consume a multiple vitamin everyday has a significant effect (F (3,30) = 3.166, p. = .039). Subjects who felt they did not have a healthy diet were more likely to take vitamins.
The ANOVA examining the percentage of subjects who eat healthy snacks throughout the day has a significant effect (F (3,30) = 3.739, p. = .0215). Subjects who felt they have a healthy diet consumed healthy snacks throughout the day.
There were several limitations in this experiment. One limitation was the number of subjects used. They were all Missouri Western State College students. The results might have been different if the subjects were from a different school. Another limitation was the age of the subjects. The range of age groups was not equal.
One generality of the experiment would be using a larger sample size. There should have been more subjects causing the results to be different. Another factor of generality was the age of the subjects. The results might have been closer to the expected direction if there was a more broad range of age groups.
A direction for future reference would be using a bigger sample size with a more broad range of age groups and not using all Missouri Western college students. This test could be used by the college cafeteria to see if they are serving balanced meals. It could also be used for a Nutrition class to determine if freshmen students or upper-class students eat better.
The relationship with the literature shows that if you eat the recommended daily allowances you will have better nutrition.
Darden, E. (1981). The Nautilus Nutrition Book. Chicago: Contemporary Books.
Garrison, R.H. (1985). The Nutrition Desk Reference. New Canaan, CT: Keats Publishing.
Hafen, B.Q. (1980). Nutrition, Food, and Weight Control. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Moquette-Magee, E. (1994). Fight Fat & Win. Minneapolis: CHRONIMED/DCI Publishing.
National Research Council. (1989). Recommended Dietary Allowances. Washington D.C.: National Academy Press.
Otis, C.L. (1989). Campus Health Guide: The College Student's Handbook For Healthy Living. New York: College Board Publications.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1989). The National Adolescent Student Health Survey: A Report on the Health of America's Youth. Oakland, CA: Third Party Publishing Company.
Table 1
Percentage of Subjects Who Feel They Have a Healthy Diet
Never Rarely Occasionally Frequently Always
3 meals 3.5 2.88 2.93 3.44 --
breakfast 3 3.13 2.47 3.22 --
lunch 4 3.38 4.07 4.22 --
dinner 5 3.75 4.27 4.44 --
fast food 4 3.63 3.4 3.0 --
breads/cereals 2 2.25 2.73 3.44 --
vegetables 2 2.25 2.8 3.44 --
fruits 3 2.5 2.13 3.67 --
dairy products 3 3.38 3.87 4.11 --
meat/poultry/fish 3 3.63 3.67 3.44 --
water 4.5 2.25 2.67 3.22 --
multiple vitamin 5 2.13 2.33 2.56 --
healthy snacks 3 2.5 2.2 3.33 --
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