New study: Poor student nutrition is harmful in the long term | Israel Hayom

It's no secret, many students adopt a diet that is not healthy for them. One that mainly includes industrialized food, junk food and energy drinks, mainly due to limited budget and lack of time.

Until now, we may have assumed that this was a temporary period and that at the end of their studies, students manage to find the time and money to adopt a healthier and more balanced routine, so there are no consequences. But this explanation seems to be wrong. According to a new study, poor nutrition consumed during school can cause long-term damage for years. The damage includes, but is not limited to: obesity, respiratory diseases and depression.

Consumption of junk food and energy drinks, photo: Gettyimages

This is a comprehensive study recently published in the journal Preventive Medicine Reports. He sampled a research group of about 12,000 medical students from 32 universities in China. In this framework, he sought to examine the link between eating patterns and obesity and other diseases.

"Many college students are known to consume high-calorie foods and beverages that include sugary, sugary foods and beverages that have been shown to be a major factor in developing diseases, such as obesity," said Dr. Joanne Botorff of the University of British Columbia, one of the researchers leading the study. "Of course, these habits are not the only ones that lead to obesity, but they are certainly a crucial factor and cannot be ignored or ruled out," she added.

May cause depression and obesity, Photo: Gettyimages

Dr. Bottorf added that the nature of the study did not allow establishing a significant cause-and-effect relationship, but the correlation between problematic eating habits and diseases, including respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, depression and gastrointestinal diseases such as diarrhea, was clear and well supported by the study's findings.

"Past biomedical studies support research and the link between obesity and infectious diseases," Bottorf said, adding: "It is known from studies conducted in the wake of COVID-19 that overweight people are more exposed to serious diseases, such as respiratory diseases. This was probably due to background factors that weakened their immune system and were related to being overweight," she said.

Knowledge on the matter should be provided to students, Photo: Gettyimages

Dr. Bottorf added that in many cases, students' problematic diets stem from stress and anxiety they experience during their studies. This can lead to overeating. "The bottom line is that we cannot ignore this dangerous pattern among young people during their university years," she said, stressing the importance of the research and the seriousness with which its results should be treated. Bottorf also noted that "students' unhealthy habits are well documented." Therefore, she says, they should be combated by educating and providing information so that they know how to make informed dietary decisions. On the other hand, they must be provided with the conditions for the consumption of healthy food.

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