EFFECTS AND ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN DIETARY CHOICE AND COLLEGE STUDENT HEALTH AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Andrew Lay English 1102 October 18, 2013

Introduction: A Paradigm of Distaste Just as the Blutos a Zit scene from the 1978 film Animal House best interpreted it, there is no doubt that it is a national paradigm of thought that anything involved in a school cafeteria setting is invariably repulsive. The entire atmosphere is encapsulated perfectly as the character portrayed by John Belushi collects and ultimately fires his chewed food, which did not appear any more attractive prior to mastication, at his fellow students. There is no doubt about it delicious and fun are likely two of the last words that come to mind when a college student reflects upon cafeterias, their food and the people found in them. It is with this concept this paradigm of distaste - that I introduce the topic of college students decisions regarding food choice as it affects their performance in the academic setting. Due to and in spite of this widespread preconception, it is indubitably an issue of interest to observe the potential correlations between sustenance selection and academic success. It is of worth to mention that I too have shared in perpetuating this unfortunate paradigm of distaste since the days of my primary education. I distinctly recall the specific day that I made the choice to bring my lunch from home for the rest of my K-12 schooling; it was the first day of third grade, my first day at my new elementary school, and thus the first day I had been served the type of cafeteria food I would seeing and smelling every school day for the next nine years of my life. I remember immediately developing a passionate hatred for the partially-fried-andusually-lukewarm blobs of processed meat being passed off as chicken nuggets after the first bite. Resolving within myself that I still at least had a bag of French fries ready to be consumed on my tray, I had not yet lost all hope for this cafeteria food. Moving on to the French fries was, in retrospect, my biggest mistake. The most optimistic and concise description of those sliced

Comment [CF1]: A more thoroughly elaborated and connected introduction would definitely benefit the fluidity of the entire paper.

Comment [CF2]: An question and answer here about why this is such a widespread thought process would help provide context to the reason behind the issue youre addressing here. Comment [W3]: Try to explain some of the correlations or just give examples.

Comment [W4]: Talk more about what you brought and how it compared to school lunch.

2 spuds I could possibly give would almost definitely involve the words soggy, terrible, and the phrase I guess Im not eating cafeteria food at school ever again. In sum, this paper is written from the perspective of a student who had already developed a passionate avoidant routine when it came to cafeteria food; despite this, I do now possess the memory of this view as well as the recently gained knowledge of the reality of the situation. As I approach the topic of the effects and associations between dietary choice and student health and academic performance, it is necessary to note that my data and conclusions are invariably modeled around relatively recent personal experiences. Specifically, this personal experience includes the weeks I have spent at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the eating establishments I have visited, including the facility that provided inspiration for my topic of research, Crown Commons. This facility stands as a cafeteria-type establishment similar to that mentioned above, and it is pertinent to note that this environment is particularly suited to the intended line of research as students of all levels can be found within at any time. This opens the playing field, as it were, to incorporate more strata to solidify my conclusions to encompass the entirety of the demographic of college students and not just those who fit the definition of a traditional student. Additionally, it has been concluded that there is not a significant difference between the eating habits of lower- and upper- level college students (Driskell, Kim, and Goebel), so there is sufficient justification both observationally and in past research to move forward with this train of focus on this type of environment. Literature Review: Academic
Comment [CF10]: This section could use a listing of terms and their definitions to ensure full comprehension to the reader. Comment [CF11]: This half of the literature review focuses on the less obvious aspect of this issue add sources and information to further develop this section. Comment [CF9]: This is the figured world you observed elaborate how you fit into it as well. Comment [W8]: Again try to incorporate other point of views rather than just you own to give a Comment [CF5]: After describing the French fries, adding detail as to how this fits into your mindset on cafeteria food as a whole would help the end of this paragraph flow more naturally. Comment [W6]: I would try to talk about how other students ho have had different experiences or another point of view of school lunch. Comment [CF7]: Tying in the idea behind this line into the next paragraph in some way would likely help concrete to the reader how your preconceptions will affect the paper as a whole.

3 To begin, let it be established that in 2008, a study that focused on the association between overall diet quality and academic performance concluded that students with an overall decreased diet quality are significantly more likely to perform poorly on academic assessments. With this knowledge, it is no far reach to extrapolate that students with more dietary choice would be more apt to make healthy decisions, and thus more statistically likely to perform at a higher level academically than those students lacking as much variety (Florence, Asbridge, and Veugelers). There is no doubt that mental status, whether positive or negative, directly affects both a students motivation and quality of work. Stress is an extremely typical symptom of general college student life but how could stress tie in to academic success as it relates to the students diet? It was found in a study published in the College Student Journal that at colleges, females and non-athletes were found to be more likely to be stressed. It was also noted that stressed students not only tend to perceive both their self-worth and health status as less than they are in reality, but that health habits tend to drop as worse habits, such as eating junk food, set in. Given this, it is reasonably likely that a more varied eating environment such as Crown Commons would attract students toward more healthful choices simply due to availability despite their stress levels, and potentially lead to a more successful student body overall (Hudd et al.).
Comment [W13]: I would compare them, such as stressed as opposed to Comment [W12]: Do you have any personal experiences? If you do talk about how you dealt with it.

Health An inventory of the average food profile for a college dormitory is a direct indicator to the relationship between student access to a variety of foods and student health. In one study, over seventy percent of students at a large public university primarily had salty snacks, cereal or

Comment [CF14]: Asking and answering more questions for the purpose of elaboration while involving the reader would enhance the clarity of this section.

4 granola bars, main dishes, desserts or candy, and sugar-sweetened beverages as opposed to healthier options such as fruit/vegetable juice or low-calorie beverages. The negative impact of limited food-choice on students at colleges and universities is obvious, confirmed by the conclusion of the two contributors that improving the various facets of campus food environments may mark an important component of such strategies [as obesity prevention] (Nelson and Story). In a similar vein to the concept Florence et al. concreted, another studys objective was to examine the health-related characteristics and habits and food choices among three groups, including college graduates, college students, and nonstudents. It was found that college students and graduates were more likely to choose dark-green vegetables, fruits, and foods high in dietary fiber. As such, this implies a tangential correlation between the topic of study and the implications of observing behavior outside of the university context though food variety exists outside of the university world, it is still more likely that students and alumni will be making the healthy choices that are correlated with better academic performance (Georgiou et al.). With the obvious benefits of a healthy diet on a students everyday performance, why is it then that the excuse to consume large quantities of unhealthy food is usually along the lines of its easier to get? A study conducted at the Southern Illinois University Carbondale examined the effects of advertising healthful foods with beneficial messages to college students at a dining hall. It was found that [s]ignificantly more participants reported that healthful choices were clearly identified in the dining hall after the intervention. As this study was conducted in an environment very similar to that found at the Crown Commons, it is of special interest to consider the hypothetical effects of these point-of-selection interventions in facilities similar to these and how their efforts would likely synergize with the overt effects of healthful food being
Comment [W15]: I would talk about the ease of access for unhealthier foods.

5 an invariable staple each and every day toward the overall benefit of the student. (Peterson et al.). Enter the Conversation: In terms of student dietary choice as it affects student academic performance, my observations seem to line up with the reality I have typically seen the more highly-performing students choosing more generally healthy foods than those who perform at a typically lower level. In experiences I have had outside of the context of the Crown Commons but still on the campus at UNCC, this statement continues to hold water. Those same students who ordered the salads and water are, in my observational experience, simply more likely going to be the ones cracking books or studying in groups than the students who frequently order gross quantities of fried starches and meats. Overall, from my observational experience in the figured world of the Crown Commons (Lay), the healthy choosing subgroup of the actor category of students can be approximated as the likely higher-performing student subgroup as well. To combine my own experiences as a college student living in a dormitory environment with scientifically-backed research, I have both been guilty of and personally witnessed fellow students possessing large quantities of packaged snack foods and sugary drinks stacked in nearly ceiling-high wardrobes that simply could not be consumed in the span of one semester. Corollary to this, I have also witnessed as well as experienced first-hand students stopping in the middle of eating this stated junk food to eat a hot meal after hearing about Crown being good today. A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association was intended to draw associations between food-preparation behavior of young adults and overall diet quality, but its implications extend further than just these relationships. After the research, it was found that

6 [f]ood-preparation behaviors were not performed by the majority of young adults even weekly. It was then concluded that interventions between young adults should improve the quality of dietary intake. Given this now apparently documented behavior, it of interest to consider that a similar phenomenon takes place among word-of-mouth knowledge of food being served daily at the Commons, and that the above conclusions regarding variety in choice and health apply here as well. Student health as it relates to dietary choice in the University setting is quite a different matter than academic performance. Those students who have made their minds up already can effectively be counted out of this portion of the discussion those who eat specifically toward their own habits, whether they be entirely unhealthy, healthy, or anywhere in between. Availability of variety in food is critical to students who are not so set so fast in their eating habits, as these will be the students making snap decisions based on point-of-sale observation, and thus the ones more likely to be forced to choose some less healthy option than they would have had to had they been able to visit a cafeteria-style establishment. So What: Food Variety and Overall Student Prosperity Though the categories of student health and academic performance were treated separately throughout the rest of the above discussion, it shall be effective now to combine them into one large and pertinent category: overall student prosperity. The combination of a desirable standing in both categories is integral to the quality of experiences and the repertoire of abilities available to college students. As food variety and freedom of dietary choice are increased, it has been shown above that it is the trend of this overall prosperity to increase as well.
Comment [W18]: Why does it increase rather than decrease? Comment [CF17]: At this point, just finish up the main body of this section to be polished later. Comment [W16]: Why do you think they make those quick decisions instead of logically thinking it through?

7 The inner workings of these correlations between student dietary choice and overall prosperity provide a framework with which topics for further study can easily be revealed. For example, it has been shown in a study published by Elsevier Ltd. that university students with less autonomous choice over their food consumption tend to have more unhealthy diets overall than students with more freedom to choose their diet. Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that the students with more autonomy in their daily food selection typically perform at a higher level in regard to self-regulation tasks than those with more restrictive diet choices (Magaraggia, Dimmock, and Jackson). Continuing in relation to the concept Peterson et al. conveyed in the above literature review section, a study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine further solidified correlation between healthy diet, choice, and overall health. As the abstract itself states, [p]hysical activity and a healthy diet have been recommended to help reverse the increasing prevalence of overweight among adolescents and adults in the United States. This study reaffirms the strong association between each point on the triangle of physical activity, eating habits, and overall health. The conclusion states that universities should utilize programs to promote awareness of diet quality and thus intrinsically food variety and choice (Lowry et al.). Advertisements for establishments such as the Commons as found around the University of North Carolina at Charlotte could fall under this category, as healthful choices are always available there. This stands as motivation for a potential focus study on this topic specifically on how this healthy propaganda would affect the food choices and ultimately the overall prosperity of students of UNCC who frequent the dining halls. Multiple topics regarding student dietary choice and how it affects this overall student prosperity have been addressed and suggested, but the combination of these studies and my

8 observations have confirmed multiple suspicions I had possessed regarding the issue before the research even began. Given all of this, it should be no difficult extension of thought that in order to facilitate the success and thus the happiness of its students, a college or university should build students from the inside both in the literal sense with its food, and in the metaphorical sense that this access to autonomy in food choice has been shown in multiple foci to benefit students as a whole in the academic context as well.
Comment [CF20]: This conclusion would probably be more effective if it were broken into multiple at least two sentences. Comment [W19]: Elaborate these suspicions more thoroughly.

9 Bibliography Driskell, Judy, Young-Nam Kim, and Kelly Goebel. "Few Differences Found in the Typical Eating and Physical Activity Habits of Lower-Level and Upper-Level University Students." Journal of the American Dietetic Association. no. 5 (2005): 798-801. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002822305001483 (accessed October 1, 2013). Florence, Michelle, Mark Asbridge, and Paul Veugelers. "Diet Quality and Academic Performance." Journal of School Health. no. 4 (2008): 209-215. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2008.00288.x/full (accessed October 1, 2013). Georgiou, Constance C., Nancy M. Betts, Sharon L. Hoerr, Kathryn Keim, Paula K. Peters, Beth Stewart, and Jane Voichick. "Among young adults, college students and graduates practiced more healthful habits and made more healthful food choices than did nonstudents." Journal of the American Dietetic Association 97, no. 7 (1997): 754-759. Hudd, Suzanne, Jennifer Dumlao, Diane Erdmann-Sager, Daniel Murray, Emily Phan, Nicholas Soukas, and Nori Yokozuka. "Stress at college: Effects on health habits, health status and selfesteem." College Student Journal (2000). Larson, Nicole I., Cheryl L. Perry, Mary Story, and Dianne Neumark-Sztainer. "Food preparation by young adults is associated with better diet quality." Journal of the American Dietetic Association 106, no. 12 (2006): 2001-2007. Lay, Andrew. "Assignment One." working paper, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, https://moodle2.uncc.edu/mod/assignment/view.php?id=123015. Lowry, Richard, Deborah A. Galuska, Janet E. Fulton, Howell Wechsler, Laura Kann, and Janet L. Collins. "Physical activity, food choice, and weight management goals and practices among US college students." American Journal of Preventive Medicine 18, no. 1 (2000): 18-27. Nelson, MC, and M Story. Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, "Food environments in university dorms: 20,000 calories per dorm room and counting." Last modified April 8, 2009. Accessed October 2, 2013. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term="college student" nutrition choice. Magaraggia, C., JA Dimmock, and B. Jackson. Elsevier Ltd., "The effect of learning climate on snack consumption and ego depletion among undergraduate students." Last modified June 14, 2013. Accessed October 2, 2013. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23770206. Peterson, S, DP Duncan, DB Null, SL Roth, and L Gill. Department of Animal Science, Food and Nutrition, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, "Positive changes in perceptions and

10 selections of healthful foods by college students after a short-term point-of-selection intervention at a dining hall." Last modified April 2010. Accessed October 2, 2013. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20304754.