Student Diet article

When is the defining moment in a students education? Is it the moment you enrol? results day? Graduation day? Or is it when you find yourself eating a Pot Noodle at two o’clock in the afternoon in nothing but your pants, screaming in support of Jeremy Kyles most recent antics? Unfortunately, popular opinion sways in favour of the latter, a stigma that is hard to shake.

The notion that students rely solely on junk food to function has always been present within society. In one scene from the student based sitcom, “The Young Ones,” in the early eighties, when inspecting the communal fridge, they find “a green blob of mould,” a “urine sample,” as well as a potion, that “when the patient drinks it, he turns into an axe wielding homicidal maniac.”

So why is it students get such bad press when concerning their diets? Is it indeed just a stereotype? Or is it in-fact a realistic representation of student life?

The FXU President of Welfare, Samantha Finneran, defies the common myth.

“Personally, I try to eat as healthily as I can, and try shop at local farm stores wherever possible, but due to work commitments I often find myself in Asda every couple of weeks deliberating between organic, fair-trade or just plain British. I have finally got a veg patch in the garden which I have been looking forward to since I started University – home grown courgettes, peas, cabbage and spinach are like luxuries, they taste so good. Myself and my housemates tend to shop together as everything is cheaper in bulk, and we can ‘wind each other up’ about buying unhealthy stuff too. The only down side is that they eat a lot more meat than I do which is more expensive. I am into my fruits and veggies with a bit of meat every now and then.”

She goes on to say:

“I always try to get £50 out on a Monday, and not spend it all by the end of the week. Sometimes it works, Sometimes it doesn’t but I just keep at it, give myself a pat on the back if I have a good week and try not to kick myself too hard if I spend a lot more. The best thing I ever did was start writing down what I spend my money on and add it all up each week. This is really easy to do with Internet banking, plus I'm saving trees by not having paper statements that will get filed away and never read.”

In contrast to Samantha, not all people find it as easy to adapt. Michael Lyle, a Journalism student at the College found it particuarly diffucult to find a diet that worked for him.

“I lost two stone over the first year after moving to Falmouth. The regularity I had in my diet at home was lost when I moved. At home I was given a set meal everyday, whereas at University I was arriving at home at different times, making it difficult to cook when I wanted. Cheaper junk food is far more appealing and much easier to prepare.”

The UK has been completely entwined within the “Obesity epidemic” that has sprung up over the past 5 years, with an increasing number of shows such as “Celebrity Fit Club” and “You Are What You Eat” epitomising the change. But as of yet, there have been no programmes focused completely on University students, moving away from home and becoming completely self sufficient for the first time.

Birmingham based dietitian and member of the BDA, Susan Jenkins found it particularly bewildering that in this day and age, people are still detached from what we eat.

“In order sustain a healthy diet, we need a balanced combination of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins and fibre. It goes without question that a diet based completely around junk food will have a drastic effect on the body, inducing either weight gain or loss, skin conditions, heart conditions and also stress. We cant neglect our eating habits simply for our own convenience.”

There are services provided for students however. The British Dietetic association website, www.teenweightwise.com offers many recipes and services ideally suited for a student on a budget. Other websites include the independently run www.beyondbakedbeans.com which has a particularly helpful section on how to cut your food bills. Whats more there is a quiz which allows the user to determine how healthy they are. Also, the University College Falmouth itself is holding a “hows it going week” at the Stannary commencing on Monday November 2nd in conjunction with Tremough Campus services, The Student Union and The University of Exeter Cornwall Campus, Including a “Health and wellness day” on Thursday 5th, and also “Food and Fitness day” on Friday the 6th, both starting at 11am.