Unhealthy Dieting Among Young People Including College Students

I was doing some research on unhealthy dieting among college age young people and there are some alarming concerns in this regard. Students were reported to engage in unhealthy dieting behaviors including use of diet pills, fasting, induced vomiting and laxative use.

There was a study published in the Nutrition Journal which revealed that college girls practice unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking or skipping breakfast, to lose weight. By contrast, only 19% of them exercise enough to promote weight loss.

Eating low fat, low sugar foods, eating less than one wants and counting calories were other methods used to lose weight. The most unhealthy practice reported was skipping breakfast - reported by 32% of the girls.

The overall effect on the body with dieting practices that are unhealthy can be hard to turn around, and can produce serious consequences also.

Skipping meals or decreasing calories lowers metabolism. This results in storing fat more easily from fewer calories. The brain's and muscles' demand for fuel causes rebound "munchies," usually for high fat and high sugar items. Poor attention span, irritability, fatique can be results. Muscle tissue may be lost also.

Cutting out meats can lead to iron deficiency, and in turn, fatigue. With fasting, most of the weight lost is water. Muscle mass decreases, which lowers metabolism. Then there is subsequent fat gain. Repeated practice has been referred to as the yo-yo effect, and it can be medically dangerous for some individuals.

Most diets such as those described that are used by young people are unhealthy. They decrease muscle mass, and muscles are needed for good health. The body and mind don't run well when you restrict calories. Dieting can make one moody and irritable, and even obsessed with food.

College students should be encouraged to eat sensibly, stay away from junk food as much as possible, concentrating on nutrients and not quantity of food. Balance is important. Getting food from the different food groups, and even supplementing with vitamins and minerals can combine to a healthy diet which can translate into a healthy weight per individual.