Think about what you ate today; now think about how many beers you drank and how many cigarettes you smoked last weekend. Combine those two facts with how many hours of sleep you got last night and the fact that your stress levels have probably been through the roof since you started college. Sound healthy?
When young adults move away from home and gain more freedom, behaviors relating to their health are bound to change. College students' patterns of drinking, smoking, eating, sleeping, and lack of stress management can all contribute to many health problems.
The amount the average college student drinks is one of the most significant changes when adjusting from life at home to life as a college student.
According to a recent study performed by the University of Florida, over 71 percent of college students at any given time have used alcohol in the past 30 days. A study performed by Harvard University Professor Henry Wechsler showed that the problem might be as simple as accessibility.
"Easily obtainable, cheap alcohol, especially beer, fuels the binge drinking for college students, many underage," he stated in his report.
Alcohol is a factor in many crashes, fires, drownings, falls and other accidents every year. In a report prepared for the U.S. Department of Justice, titled "Costs of Underage Drinking," the researcher states that "the total cost of alcohol use by the youth - including crashes, violent crime, burns, drowning, suicide attempts, fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol poisonings, and treatment - is more than $58 billion per year."
Towson State University, in Maryland, also reported that half of college students who were victims of campus crimes said they had been drinking or using other drugs when they were victimized. These serious consequences are of the immediate sort, all of which affect the health of college students everyday across the country.
In addition to accidents, which are often found in conjunction with drinking, alcohol has many long-term effects that may not be apparent for years. Chronic abuse of alcohol can seriously harm any bodily process and result in brain damage, cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatic disorders, hepatitis, high blood pressure and heart damage.
Another harmful habit prevalent among college students is smoking. The Harvard School of Public Health has issued a report in 1998 stating that while the general smoking population had declined from 43 percent to 25 percent, the smoking population of college students had increased by 28 percent. The survey showed that over 28 percent of students are smokers, with 20 percent smoking daily.
While smoking may help you relax and release stress, it is "the worst thing you can do for your body and your health," said Dr. Kathleen Trappe at Louis Lazaar Family Medicine in Buffalo.
According to the Health Research Review pamphlet distributed by the Living Well Center, smoking accounts for almost 90 percent of lung cancer and smokers are 14 times more likely to die from various cancers. In addition to the long-term effect of cancer, smoking also creates nutritional deficiencies, damages arteries, raises cholesterol, and affects blood platelets.
An unbalanced diet is another significant health factor causing concern among students.
Jamie Siffringer, a senior political science major, claims that she rarely has the time to assess her meal choices.
"Today on the way to class I grabbed a breakfast sandwich and I probably won't eat again until around 9 at work. My schedule doesn't allow me too much time to eat and when I do it's always on the go," she said.
Hectic schedules resulting from classes, homework and part-time jobs all contribute to unhealthy eating habits.
"College students have very busy schedules. Sometimes it's more convenient to eat fast food, but pizza shouldn't be eaten everyday. Balance and variety is very important," stated Dr. Lisa Varner, in a Feb. 2000 Clemson Tiger article. Varner is a psychologist and nutritionist at the Redfern Health Center at Clemson University.
UB has been making continued efforts to improve the nutrition of students who have special dieting needs as well as those who do not.
Cindy Youngers, assistant director of Dining Services at UB, points out that while students are often on the run, the dining halls are more than willing to accommodate your needs.
"We handle special diets for diabetics, vegetarians, etc. "Very Vegetarian" just recently opened up in Richmond and it has been very popular," said Youngers. "It features a construction bar which includes foods like soy cream cheese, hummus, pumpkin seeds, organic tortilla chips, soy nuts, and vegan desserts."
Posters in the Student Affairs office claim if you eat healthy you will study better, sleep better, relieve stress, and become a happier person in general. The office suggests being aware of serving size, balancing choices, and avoiding eating late at night.
Stress is another determining factor of a student's health. Elevated stress levels can lead to sleeping disorders, depression, and headaches. The stress cycle, however, seems inevitable, as many students claim that lack of sleep is what initially leads to stress.
"I usually get about five hours of sleep. After I get home from work and do all my homework there just isn't enough time left in the day for anymore than that," said junior Vicki Cond, a health and human services major. She said feeling completely rested after adequate sleep is an uncommon occurrence.
The Student Affair's posters suggest that in order to sleep better, students should avoid caffeine and alcohol in the evening, stay away from large late night meals, try to engage in some form of exercise before bed, and avoid taking naps during the day.
If you would like any additional information on drinking, smoking, stress management, or sleep problems, contact Student Health Services at 829-3316 or The Living Well Center in the student union.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
