Experts give students advice to fight obesity

IU students can receive education in any of the hundreds of areas of study IU offers by the time they put on their caps and gowns, but many students know little about one of the fastest growing problems facing Americans: obesity.\nAbout 119 million adult Americans, or 64.5 percent, are either overweight or obese, according to a recent report from Trust for America's Health, a lobbying organization focused on making health a national priority. \nJulie Frey, program coordinator of the Adult Fitness Program at IU, said there are many simple practices for students that can stop the number of American adults who are overweight or obese from climbing any higher. \n"Students can stay healthy just by being active," she said. "This means accumulating at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on at least five days per week or 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity at least three times per week."\nFrey said some simple ways students can get their weekly exercise include biking or walking to class, participating in recreational sports or pick-up games and getting off the bus a few stops early and walking the rest of the way to class. If students want more structure, they can try a variety of cardiovascular exercises, including running, swimming, biking or using any of the variety of cardio machines found at the Student Recreational Sports Center and the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, she said.\nA cardiovascular workout should be completed four to five days a week with the sessions lasting from 20 minutes to an hour at a moderate to hard level, Frey said. \nAnother important part of staying healthy is managing stress because stress will always find students, Frey said.\n"Find and practice healthy ways to minimize (stress's) impact on your health," she said. "Examples include exercising, eating smart, not smoking and talking with friends, family or professionals if necessary ... Make time for relaxation, whatever that is for you, e.g. manicure, pedicure, haircut, massage, yoga, reading for pleasure, meditation, playing with pets or children."\nAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity could lead to several health problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, gall bladder disease and respiratory problems such as sleep apnea (stoppage of breathing during sleep) and certain types of cancer, most notably breast and colon cancer.\nBut this is only one aspect of keeping healthy. Alyce Fly, an IU professor studying nutrition biochemistry and food chemistry, said people must focus on eating a variety of nutrient-packed foods every day and staying within their daily calorie needs, which is 2,000 for the average person. \n"So as part of a healthy food plan, emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains and milk products," she said. "Include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts. Your food plan should be low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt and added sugars." \nFly also offered hints, recommending eating about two cups of fruits per day, three cups of low-fat or fat-free milk or milk products per day, at least three ounces of whole grain food per day (an ounce is about one slice of bread or one-half cup cooked pasta), more dark green veggies like broccoli and kale and more orange veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkin. \n"Plan ahead to eat healthy and maintain a variety of nutrient-rich foods," she said. "For lunches, choose whole grain bread for sandwiches and water or drinks without added sugars. Whether you eat out or at home, choose foods prepared in healthier ways, like steaming, grilling or broiling instead of fried or sautéed foods."\nIU offers elective classes about this topic through the health and kinesiology departments. \nTo individualize an eating plan, the government offers an Internet tool called MyPramid, which can be accessed at www.mypyramidtracker.gov.