It’s easy to heath healthy when living with mom and pop, but having when you have to fend for yourself, those easy-to-make, unhealthy options are just too tempting.

“I find it hard to eat nutritious foods when there are so many unhealthy items that tempt me,” said Zach Severns, a freshman in mechanical engineering.

Beth Guthrie, a lecturer in the School of Allied Medicine, said it is okay for students to eat what they want, but to eat in moderation and to be active.

“It is all about making good choices,” she said. “It is important to eat everything in moderation. When a student orders a large pizza and eats the whole thing by themselves, that is not a good choice.”

Guthrie, also a recent recipient of the American Dietetic Association’s 2007 Young Recognized Dietitian of the Year award, said the lack of physical activity plays a large part in the poor health of students.

“When students are in high school, a lot of them participate in high school sports,” Guthrie said. “When they come to college, they lack exercise and become lazy.”

Fast food restaurants, popular among many OSU students, have also affected student health by serving larger portions.

“When I am off campus I eat fast food because it is so cheap,” Severns said.

Guthrie said beverages cannot be discounted as a source of unhealthy consumption.

“People may be surprised to hear that smoothies can have up to 400 and 500 calories,” she said. “Specialty coffee drinks like cappuccinos are also high in calories.”

Alcohol is another high-calorie drink popular among students.

“A can of beer has about 150 calories,” Guthrie said.

The university provides several options for students to eat more nutritious foods and to exercise regularly. There are also intramural sports, fitness classes and sport clubs available and listed on recsports.osu.edu.

“I enjoy going to fitness classes at the RPAC to stay healthy,” said Holly Mellinger, a freshman in industrial and systems engineering.

The Student Wellness Center also offers a dietitian for student needs and OSU Campus Dining Services has cut trans fats from its menus.

“The dining halls offer good choices at good sizes, but the student has to make the better choice,” Guthrie said.

Guthrie also suggests students take a nutrition class, such as Nutrition 210.

“Parents are no longer policing student intake,” Guthrie said. “It is ultimately up to the student to stay active and healthy.”

Christine Dumford can be reached at [email protected].