Friday, September 19, 2008
A new program from KU Dining Services helps students track nutrition information for campus foods.
NetNutrition, an online nutrition calculator, encourages healthy eating and helps consumers who have allergies or other dietary restrictions.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
NetNutrition provides nutritional values for food from campus dining locations, including dining centers in residence halls, The Underground in Wescoe Hall and The Market in the Kansas Union. It calculates calories, fat, protein, sodium and carbohydrates, according to users’ food selections. Percent daily values for the recommended dietary allowances for males and females between the ages of 19-24 are also provided so users can compare data.
NetNutrition includes the option to filter food choices to help students avoid consuming certain items, such as eggs, soy and pork.
KU Dining Services started the program this semester in response to customers’ requests. Nona Golledge, director of Dining Services, said Dining Services had wanted to provide the program for a while, but the technology only recently became available.
“It gives you the information at your fingertips on all of our locations online,” Golledge said. “You can make your selection ahead of time.”
Golledge said NetNutrition would help customers make better meal choices and be more aware of their diets.
Ann Chapman, coordinator of nutritional services for the Wellness Resource Center, said it was important for students to be aware of what they were consuming. She said a poor diet could cause weight gain, a weaker immune system, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
“There are millions of concerns you could monitor by keeping a food record,” Chapman said.
Chapman said that as a dietitian at Watkins Memorial Health Center she saw students with all kinds of eating concerns, many of which involve weight control. Chapman said an unbalanced diet, lack of exercise and alcohol consumption were the main contributors to college students’ weight gain.
Chapman recommended students eat vegetables and fruits for each meal to keep from eating too much main course food.
“You still get plenty to eat but it will decrease your calories,” Chapman said. “Fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants.”
Chapman said a healthy diet was available on campus, but students needed to make small efforts.
“Students need to be educated about what choices to make,” Chapman said.
She said students could choose red sauce with pasta rather than white sauce, which contains more bad cholesterol. She also recommended students avoid eating dessert every day. She suggested students who eat on campus check an online menu and pick one or two of their favorite deserts each week.
“Not every day, not every meal,” Chapman said. “It’s better to give in to that desire, but do it reasonably.”
— — Edited by Becka Cremer
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