MONDAY,AUG.20,2001
ON THE HILL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 50
Fat: Too much feasting leads to freshman 15
Donnellly said that only 18 percent to 20 percent of the U.S. population exercises.
"Most people know what to do, they just don't do it," he said.
Late-night nite: food and rest.
The workers at the Pizza Hut on Massachusetts Street know one thing: there's a lot of pizza going to the residence halls. Eric Glenn, manager, said weekly sales are down $3,000 when the fall and spring semesters are not in session.
Glenn has 14 drivers on staff to make an estimated 200 weekly deliveries to the campus area. He said 40 percent of his deliveries during the fall and spring semesters are for students.
If students aren't hungry for Pizza Hut, one of 22 pizza joints in town, they can always make a run for the border to the nearest fast-food (or fast-fat) restaurant. Lawrence, a city of 80,000, lays claim to four McDonalds, Sonics and Pizza Huts; three Burger Kings and two Wendvs and Taco Bells.
There are problems with fast food. First, there may be healthy choices, but few people buy them, says, Dieting for Dummies.
Second, whether eating in the car or in the restaurant, customers probably are eating too fast. Researchers have shown that one of the best ways to moderate how much a person eats is to relax and eat slowly. Third, high-calorie and high-fat foods saturate fast-food menus. A Double Whopper with cheese is stuffed with 61 grams of fat and a Big Mac drips 33 grams of grease. Four slices of Pizza Hut's stuffed crust pizza contain more than 1,700 calories.
Beer adds another dimension to weight gain. For most students, the weekend begins on Thursday night because fewer classes meet on Friday. Some students even begin partying on Wednesday
Drinking four days a week is not unusual, some students said - neither is drinking a 12-pack in one sitting. A 12-ounce beer contains about 200 calories - a dozen equals 2,400. For a 175-pound student who is not active, that is more than enough calories for a whole day.
In an informal survey of KU students, 63 percent said they ate too much fast food and pizza during their freshman year and 19 percent attributed part of their weight gain to drinking too much beer. Mammoth-size, please
Portion sizes substantially grew during the 1990s. At McDonalds, you get more for your money if you super-size it. 7-Elevens sell a 64-ounce Double Gulp that has 800 calories. And regular-sized candy bars are a thing of the past –king-size bars fill up store shelves.
A regular-sized Snickers bar has about 150 calories. The "Big One" Snickers bar, touted as being fit for a king, has 500 calories. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups used to be sold in singles, then in doubles. Now, they come four to a pack. The king-size version oozes 28 grams of fat and has a colossal 500 calories.
Michael Fumento, author of The Fat of the Land says big food is harmful.
"First, in and of itself, it provides too many calories for one course or at one time. Second, it motivates other manufacturers and sellers to produce big food. Third, it distorts people's ability to tell what a healthy-size portion is." And, he said, "Finally, people feel obligated to eat everything on their plate, whether they really want it or not."
Eatie killing us
The latest RAND Institute study in June warned that obesity may be worse for a person's health than a lifetime of smoking and drinking.
Roland Sturm and Kenneth Wells, physicians and spokesmen for the study,
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Fact Book for 2000-2001 states, "Obesity has increased by over 50 percent among adults and 100 percent among children and adolescents in just the past 15 years."
said these findings highlighted the need for public programs to reduce obesity rates in America.
According to CDC research, more than two-thirds of American adults are trying to lose weight or keep from gaining weight, but many do not follow guidelines recommending a combination of fewer calories and more physical activity.
Yutaka Kawase, family physician in Overland Park, said he probably tells three or four patients a day to lose weight. Kawase said it was more difficult to treat obesity than treating an infection because prescribe medicine does not make it go away. He also said it was difficult because some patients were personally insulted when approached about weight.
"It's a hard thing. Life habits are difficult to change." Kawase said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that obesity contributes to more than 300,000 deaths each year.
The National Institutes of Health report obese individuals are at an increased risk of illness from hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory problems and certain types of cancer.
Statistics show that a person who is 40 percent overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely as an average-weight person. Winning the battle of the bulge
Ann Chapman, clinical dietitian in health education at Watkins Health Center, said the weight battle is serious business. She added, it isn't just about appearances - it's about staying alive.
day for different reasons, but many of those are for weight-related issues. Some are referred by their doctors, and others come on their own.
"I see students of all ages,not just freshmen. There seems to be more of a gradual steady weight gain over the college years,"she said.
She said she sees five or six students a
The first thing Chapman does is find basic information, such as what students ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner the day before. She asks similar questions about exercise. She also discusses the importance of good nutrition, the value of exercise, the food pyramid and setting small goals one week at a time.
Students may come to see her on a weekly basis or just for a one-time counseling session, she said. Chapman also teaches a session at freshman orientation on making good choices, which includes a nutrition section.
The University, however, does not require a physical education or nutrition class. Requirements vary, but North Carolina State University requires two hours of physical education and MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe requires two to three hours in health and physical education.
Joe Donnelly, professor in health, sport and exercise sciences, said there had been efforts to persuade the University to require physical education and health classes, but the results were unsuccessful. He said that he would prefer a required "lifestyle" course that would teach physical activity, health, nutrition and leadership. The dynamic duo need not wait
The rescue of the overweight doesn't come from a Batmobile or from someone who flies through the air. Relief arrives in the form of crispy fruits and vegetables and through physical activity.
And it's not magic. It's hard work.
The Food Guide Pyramid, recommends two to four daily servings of fruit and three to five vegetables each day.
and three to five people. "The problem is that most people tend to eat from the top and bottom of the food pyramid," Chapman said. Fats and sweets garnish the peak of the pyramid, and breads, cereals, rice and pasta fill in the base.
The dilemma caused by eating at the top and bottom of the pyramid involves not only nutrition, but also calories. One gram of fat contains nine calories and one gram of carbohydrate or protein has four calories. Therefore, it will take more energy to burn one gram of fat than one gram of carbohydrate or protein.
By eating a nutritional diet and exercising, a person will speed up weightloss efforts by increasing the number of calories burned, Kirby said in Dieting for Dummies.
Tiffany Perez is proof of the benefits of exercise. Perez, Overland Park, was a freshman at the University last year. She said that walking to classes everyday saved her from the freshman 15. Perez actually lost seven pounds her freshman year.
Dara Sims, incoming Olathe freshman, said she was determined to not fall victim to the freshman 15.
She said she worked out often and tried to eat healthy foods. Sims said she doesn't like the greasy taste of fast foods. Instead, she prefers to eat fruits and vegetables.
"I'm not going to stress out about it. I'll just keep on exercising and eating healthy." Sims said.
If she successfully dodges the freshman 15, Sims could lower the freshman weight gain total this year to 89,985.
North can be reached at 864-4810 or writer@kansan.com
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