By now, it’s not really ‘news’ that college kids eating habits are pretty bad. But according to a new study, they’re not just bad – they’re dismal.

Consider: the USDA recommends four to five servings of vegetables a day. Many students report not even eating one serving a day.

The study, conducted by Oregon State University researchers, surveyed the eating habits of 582 college students, the majority of which were freshman.

On average, the males reported consuming about five servings of fruits and vegetables a week, while the females reported only eating four servings a week.

Female students also had low fiber intake, while males tended to consume high amounts of fat.

Overall, females appeared to have better eating habits, including skipping fewer meals, eating in school dining halls more frequently and reading food labels.
“We found that students skipped meals fairly frequently, which could account for some of the lack of fruits and veggies,” said Professor Brad Cardinal, study author.

“Still, even accounting for fewer meals consumed, the students were on average not always eating even one serving of fruits or vegetables per day, far below the USDA guidelines.”

Cardinal recommends that parents attempt to instill healthy eating habits in their children before leaving for college.

The study was published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

As the summer days pass by, it gets harder to maintain a schedule with your families enjoying some much-needed down time. A break from the stress of your busy school-year schedules is necessary, but too much time without exercising the brain can be detrimental to your child’s academic health.

This is why it is important to attend to your child’s summer reading list starting now. Most middle and high schools choose one or two required readings and allow for some independence with a suggested reading list. This is a great opportunity for your child to get introduced to a new author or genre he or she may not have known before. In addition to developing a love of reading, children in these grades will likely be tested on material read or be expected to write a response to the text.

You can help your child maintain information about the stories by giving her a journal in which to take notes, reading the book with her, and having weekly discussions with her to ensure she comprehends the material. You may also want to celebrate the completion of books with a special reward, such as a little extra money to spend back-to-school shopping or a family movie night. However you do it, supporting your middle school or high school age child in their summer reading will ensure her school year gets off to a great start.