Students’ eating habits

Jenny Bazely explores the essential nutrients for young people, how to maintain a balanced diet and advice on healthy, affordable food choices

Interview by Cristina Sandu

Jenny Bazely, personal archive

Recent studies show that college students struggle to eat healthy, often relying on fast food and sugary snacks. Dietitian Jenny Bazely from Leicester, a member of the British Dietetic Association, explains simple changes we can make for a better life.

What are some common snacking patterns?

Reaching for high-fat, salty, and sugary snacks is common and understandable, mainly if you are tired and need some quick energy to get you through studying/work/going out. However, these snacks will not fuel your body and will leave you feeling hungry again soon afterwards.

Higher fibre snacks, ideally with some protein, will keep your energy levels stable, improve your mood and prevent weight gain and health implications.

Be prepared and always take snacks with you! If you are out and about, a mix of snacks is a very good idea. Think Babybel cheeses, cereal bars, fruit and nut trail mixes, pea protein or lentil crisps, dried mango and pineapple chunks, humous pots, and vegetables.

If you buy bags of crisps or snack bags of nuts when out, be aware of the portion size. Often, the nutritional information will cite a “portion,” but the bag of the food is actually two portions.

Do stress and emotional factors impact someone’s eating habits?

Many of us are emotional eaters. These habits may have already developed by the time students get to university, or the change in lifestyle that comes with being a student may bring on emotional eating. If you eat as a result of your emotions, the first thing is to be aware of this. Then, putting strategies in place to minimise this behaviour is important. A food and mood diary may be helpful, or even speaking to friends about it. Talking about something can help initially.

What essential nutrients do students often lack in their diets?

Many students need more iron and other micronutrients. Iron, mainly as it is in red meat, can be expensive to buy (takeaway burgers will be less nutritious in iron than other less processed meats!). Vegetarians and vegans often do not consume a well-balanced diet to gain enough iron. The female population is more at risk of this due to menstruation.

Many people are deficient in fibre, a nutrient found in fruit, vegetables, whole-grain cereals, beans, pulses, nuts, and seeds.

Vitamin D should also be supplemented if you do not get enough sunshine between May and October. This is worth bearing in mind for students who work in bars and clubs, as they will change their waking hours to accommodate this, resulting in decreased exposure to sunlight and an increased risk of Vitamin D deficiency.

Do you often observe common misconceptions about specific diets?

All of the time! Social media can be helpful for so many things, but the dietary myths online are vast. Some of these claims lack scientific evidence, and some may be dangerous.

Red flags to be aware of on social media are any “magic bullet” to change your weight/shape, rapid weight loss claims promoting more than 1kg of fat a week, using words like “detox” and “fat-busting,” cutting out whole food groups, all carbohydrates must be avoided, drinking specific teas or juices, being promoted by an influencer or celebrity, or asking you to buy a specific supplement.

How can students balance enjoying social activities often involving fast food or drinks and maintaining a healthy lifestyle?

Balance is key! If you can eat healthy, a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables 80% of the time, having fast food and drinks 20% of the time is absolutely fine. Bear in mind that fast food and less nutrient-dense foods can have a negative impact on your mental health, too, so if you feel particularly vulnerable, then gravitating to fast food is the last thing we would encourage people to do.

What initiatives or programs could improve nutritional education and awareness among young people?

Many initiatives are already in place, such as the NHS “Better Health, Healthier Families,” which has lots of information that would be helpful for young people. There is also a “Food Scanner” app that can help you make better choices by scanning the bar codes of your food choices. The British Nutrition Foundation also has loads of resources for students specifically.