March is National Nutrition Month, and the Student Dietetic Association is promoting health awareness at Cal State Long Beach.
National Nutrition Month was created by the American Dietetic Association to inform and educate the public about nutrition and the importance of exercising and eating right. The events, sponsored by the Student Dietetic Association, are taking place March 10 to 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Maxson Plaza on campus.
The SDA will have booths set up at the site with information on nutrition, walk-in counseling for students who want to learn more about health, and prepackaged food and free healthy snacks.
Each day will focus on one of three nutrition topics, such as antioxidants, calcium and trans-fats.
Traditionally students have not always been regarded as the healthiest eaters but Jacqueline Lee, associate professor of nutrition and dietetics, said that it is possible for students to eat healthy.
“Commuting students may not eat quite as badly as those who are living on campus, because commuting students still have the parental guidance there … However, the nutritional knowledge itself is generally lacking so students tend not to make the best choices,” Lee said. “Also, with all the stress that comes with school students tend to eat foods that are a little more comforting.”
Lee said that there are some healthy dining options like Quiznos and Subway, but there are plenty of vending machines filled with unhealthy snack food.
“Apparently that is a big obsession at our campus so they won’t give [the vending machines] up. It would be nice if they removed them, I’d love to see them do that,” Lee said.
The SDA is a nonprofit organization that is part of the CSULB Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.
According to Molly Shaw, SDA vice president, the association’s goal is to promote nutritional awareness, as well as raise the awareness of diseases connected to nutrition, such as diabetes.
“We want to emphasize nutrition in the national community,” Shaw said. “The student population is not learning much about nutrition in school. We are hoping to increase their knowledge on health and nutrition.”
The American Dietetic Association recommends achieving and maintaining a healthy weight through increasing physical activity and eating meals that are nutrient rich — foods packed with vitamins, fiber and minerals.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity has increased dramatically in the last 20 years. The CDC attributes genes, metabolism, behavior, culture and socioeconomic status as factors that contribute to a person’s body weight.
Shaw and the members of the SDA are looking forward to the upcoming events on campus.
“We are hoping that this year’s events will be effective and that we are able to reach out to a lot of people,” Shaw said.
This time of the semester, students are facing mid-term exams and late night cram sessions, making many opt for quick fix of caffeine.
“Three cups of coffee a day is not a problem,” Lee said. “Drinking 6-8 cups of coffee a day or large amounts in one sitting is not very good.”
Throughout the semester, students interested in learning more about nutrition can check out the Health Resource Center where they can speak to peer nutrition counselors or students majoring in dietetics.