The dreaded Freshman 15 has scared students into being health conscious as they head off to universities in the fall. In an age of rampant obesity and diabetes, it is rare to find yourself on a college campus or at a restaurant today that does not offer healthy options. However, there is still an abundance of unhealthy food choices offered in dining halls, which have turned into a scapegoat for students to make poor choices.

The availability of healthy food on college campuses and the personal decisions students must make to select these healthy options are the keys to a college student’s healthy lifestyle.

Young men and women have to realize there are healthy food choices all around them. As long as students start or maintain healthy eating habits and exercise routines, they have nothing to worry about when it comes to gaining weight or other health issues.

Students’ goals shouldn’t be to necessarily diet or become workout-aholics, but to be as healthy as we find the time to be.

In one residential building on campus, there are three vending machines, a Syracuse University Bookstore and it’s only a short walk to the Sadler dining hall. When it is 11:30 p.m., and the only option is to venture downstairs to the vending machines, the temptation to opt for a can of Yoo-hoo is almost unstoppable. And most of the time, it’s not preventable.

‘I know there are healthy options in front of me,’ said Mary Ryan, a freshman in the College of Human Ecology. ‘But when I walk into the dining hall and see a huge spread of french fries and junk food, it’s hard to ignore. It’s too tempting.’

Despite the abundance of sugary temptations, it is up to the individual to make the right decision. College is a time when students should no longer be holding the hands of their mommies and daddies and learn how to be healthy, independent young adults.

Jeanne Goldberg Ph.D., an expert in nutrition at Tufts’ Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, participated in a multi-year study called ‘Freshman 15: A Myth.’ The study concluded that the eating habits students take on during college and the speculations they make about nutrition are creating more stress and problems than they are solving.

Although the Tufts’ study did find that students gained weight their freshman year – an average of six pounds for men and four and a half pounds for women – the weight could easily be burned off by an increase in exercise.

Instead of students worrying about gaining weight during their freshman year, they should be focused on eating a well-balanced, healthy meal, exercising regularly and being mentally healthy.

SU students are privileged enough to attend a university that offers vegan, vegetarian, fruit and vegetable options.

‘There are many healthy options in the dining centers, including many whole grain breads, pastas, an extensive salad bar and healthy spreads,’ said Ruth Sullivan, registered Dietitian and Nutrition Educator for SU Food Services.

The majority of students request these options, yet there are still students who want pizza, chicken nuggets and french fries. ‘I’m a big proponent for portion control,’ Sullivan said. Her emphasis on portion control is an important element in obtaining healthy eating habits.

In the dining halls, students have a variety of food choices and eating habits. Despite the range of cuisine on students’ plates, they all seem to have some common ground: their satisfaction with SU’s dining halls.

‘It’s not Syracuse’s fault that I’m a picky eater,’ said Jenna Heller, a freshman English major. ‘I’ll just grab a quick bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch for breakfast.’

Instead of Heller consuming 400 milligrams of sodium and 45 grams of carbohydrates in one serving of her favorite cereal, she could take part in yet another challenge this semester: trying new foods. For example, a container of low-fat yogurt only has 171 milligrams of sodium and 17 grams of carbohydrates.

Heller is not the only student giving in to unhealthy temptations. Plenty of students feel unhappy with the fact that they are enticed toward the unhealthiest options in dining halls.

SU students have all of the healthy living tools at their fingertips. Instead of cramming down a greasy slice of pizza, students should head down to the salad bar and load up on a big bowl of healthy decisions.

Krystie Yandoli is a freshman in The College of Arts and Sciences. Her columns appear every Tuesday. She can be reached at klyandol@syr.edu.