THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2010
ANIMALS | 3A
Wednesdays on Wescoe to become zoo, thanks to KU group.
VOLUME 124 ISSUE 24
GSP to add men after renovation
CAMPUS | 6A
OPINION | 5A
WWW.KANSAN.COM
'Little Scottie' creators respond to critical letter
The comic illustrator and writer respond to a letter criticizing the content of a cartoon.
INDEX
Classifieds. ...8A
Crossword. ...4A
Cryptoquips ...4A
Opinion. ...5A
Sports. ...10A
Sudoku. ...4A
TODAY'S WEATHER
85 LOW 63
PM Thunder-Storms
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FORGOTTEN FRUIT
8458
Isolated T-Storms
All contents, unless stated otherwise,
© 2010 The University Daily Kansan
-weather.com
BY KELLY STRODA
kstroda@kansan.com
If you're anything like other college-aged students around the country, there's about a 70 percent chance you don't eat fruit at least twice a day. And as far as veggies go, there's an 80 percent chance you're not getting at least three servings daily.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed what most college students know they're guilty of: skimping on their fruits and veggies.
"Slicing up watermelon isn't high up on our list of things to do," she said.
Sarah Kormanik, a senior from Overland Park, said she thought college kids may not eat a lot of fruits and vegetables because they were brought up wanting fast and convenient food options.
But it's not just college kids. It's America. In 2000, the CDC set an objective that 75 percent of adults would eat the recommended intake of daily fruit and 50 percent would eat the recommended intake of daily vegetables by this year.
The state of Kansas, though, is worse than most of the country. According to the report, only 23.8 percent of the state's residents eat the recommended amount of fruit each day. Kansas is the fourth lowest fruit-consuming state in the nation. The study also shows that only 26 percent of Kansans eat vegetables.
Ten years later, no state has met thi goal.
For the other nearly three-quarters of people who don't get their daily produce, the consequences could be serious later in life.
betes or cancers, said Ann Chapman, dietitian with the Wellness Resource Center at Watkins Memorial Health Center.
But making someone in their 20s care about what could happen to them in 20 years isn't the said.
"It just makes sense that if our diets are richer in produce, it would reduce our calorie overall intake."
ANN CHAPMAN Dietitian
This could include heart problems, dia-
Mason Young, a freshman from Derby, said he worried about problems later in life because of issues he has seen with both his family and Americans in general.
But he said he still only eats fruit every other day and knows he doesn't eat enough vegetables.
"I'm just not a big fan,"
So what's something that students may care about?
Weight control, Chapman said, can prompt many students to consider eating fruit regularly.
She said there's a direct link between gaining weight and not eating enough produce.
Fruits and vegetables are 85 to 90 percent water and fiber.
"It it just makes sense that if our diets are richer in produce," Chapman said, "it would reduce our calorie overall intake."
She said if you envision a person's plate at a meal, the plate is usually half of meat and half of a starchy food. They have little water or fiber, so we digest them almost completely. Instead a plate should be one-half fruits and vegetables, one-quarter lean meat or protein and one-quarter a whole grain.
Chapman said fitting produce into your diet doesn't have to be inconvenient.
"It's a misconception that produce has to be fresh to be good for you," she said. She said canned or frozen fruits and vegetables could be just as nutritious.
— Edited by Roshni Oommen
NEED A REFRESHER?
"SHORTCUTS" TO GET MORE FRUITS AND VEGGIES IN YOUR DIET
How many servings of fruit should I eat each day?
4.
How many servings of vegetables should I eat each day?
5
How much is a serving?
Half a cup
— Get fruits or vegetables from the salad bar at the store.
- Buy a bag of salad that's ready to eat.
Eat a peanut butter and banana sandwich (instead of a PB&J)
Buy fruit canned in its own juices.
Buy frozen fruits and vegetables.
Drink tomato juice as a snack or with your meal.
— Ann Chapman, dietitian with the Wellness Resource Center at Watkins Memorial Health Center
Photos by Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
HEALTH
Early flu shots may cause troubles later
BY JUSTINE PATTON jpatton@kansan.com
"Flu Shots Available Here" signs are scattered all over Lawrence. Stores such as Hy-Vee, Walgreens and CVS, among others, are recruiting people to get vaccinated. Getting vaccinated this early in the fall, however, could be more harmful than helpful. Patricia Denning, the chief of staff at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said these big pharmacies are more worried about making money than keeping people healthy.
"There's no real urgency to the situation," Denning said. "I think it's being created by marketing and money"
Chris Branson/KANSAN
As outside of Walgreens advertises availability of flu shot vaccines. Flu shot vaccinations are now available at all Walgreens locations daily.
$ \textcircled{1} $
While Denning said she does recommend that all college students get vaccinated, she recommends that people don't get vaccinated until late October or early November. The immunity that the flu shot provides individuals typically lasts five to six months. She warned if a student gets vaccinated too early, then their immunity may wane in early spring, when influenza is still active, students
miss classes and fall behind.
Despite recommendations from health officials like Denning, Aliza Chudnow, a junior from Dallas, said she wasn't planning on getting the flu shot.
"I've never really thought about getting it," Chudnau said. "I don't think I've ever gotten the flu. I guess I'm pretty lucky."
Denning said the lifestyle most college students lead puts them at a higher risk for catching the flu. The desks in Budig Hall could be crawling with germs left behind from the students who used them an hour before. Often, students are crammed into lecture halls with other students who might have the flu. Denning also listed inadequate sleep as one of the major culprits.
Chris Bronson/KANSAN
In addition to getting the flu vaccine, students can take other steps to help protect them from the virus. Denning recommended students eat nutritious foods, refrain from smoking or drinking alcohol and get plenty of sleep.
"Pulling an all-nighter is the fastest way to get yourself sick," Denning said.
12
Garret Rainbolt, a senior from
Larned, said he would be relying on his daily routine, rather than the vaccine, to protect him from the virus.
"I drink orange juice in the morning and I walk to campus."
Larned said. "I don't ever really get sick."
Flu shot clinics will go from Oct. 19 to Nov. 11 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The locations have not yet been confirmed. Flu shots will cost $15 and the nasal mist will cost $20.50.
— Edited by Sean Tokarz