By Samantha Thompson
University employees take a look at the nutritional value of current meal choices
As students get back into the school routine, the pressure is on to maintain a healthy, balanced diet while simultaneously spending hours studying. Rosie Dhaliwal, a gealth promotion specialist for SFU, emphasizes the importance of maintaining good nutrition while completing a post-secondary education.
“It comes down to your ability to concentrate and perform well on your assignments or other tasks for the day,” said Dhaliwal in an email to The Peak. “Even your mood is impacted by what you are eating.”
The 2012 health profile for Vancouver, released by Statistics Canada, states that 39.4 per cent of people living in the Vancouver Health Service Delivery Area consume fruit and vegetables five times or more daily. In addition, 31.7 per cent of the population were identified as being overweight or obese, and 58.3 per cent participate in a physical activity in their free time.
In light of such statistics, health consciousness has been placed in the spotlight, particularly after multiple health plan initiatives launched locally over the past several years. This year, the City of Vancouver commenced their “Healthy City Strategy,” which aims to develop “a long-term strategy for healthier people, healthier places, and a healthier planet.”
SFU, too, has been promoting healthier lifestyles, most recently with the changes in on-campus dining. The university has altered its approach to available food options, in order to meet the demands of students looking to make a healthier choice.
“We really wanted to try to focus on what the students were requesting from us and provide them with some more options,” said Kelly Dooley, the manager of student experience for SFU dining, adding that what students wanted most was more variety, more value and different options when eating on-campus.
“We’ve added some focus on more fresh cooking and comfort foods,” said Dooley. “In MacKenzie Cafe we have a new manager and a new culinary team, so they’re really focusing on more hearty, fresh home-cooked foods, as well as nutritious foods.”
The all-day breakfast station in the cafe now uses free-range eggs, and the soups and sauces are made from scratch. “You can definitely taste the flavour,” said Dooley.
In addition, the Residence Dining Hall options have expanded, now including the customizable “My Pantry” feature, where students can have more say about what goes into their meal. The dining hall’s hours have increased, remaining open 24/7 — the first of its kind in Canada.
Students learning about nutrition and how to cook may see positive results, in their wallets as well as with their health. “It will enhance their academic success, their overall health, and save them money,” says Dhaliwal. “Your money will take you way further if you are preparing your own meals rather than purchasing them regularly. I can’t emphasize enough that 80 per cent of chronic diseases are preventable through low-cost strategies such as eating well and active living.”
Even with nutritious options on campus, there are things students can do to maintain a healthy lifestyle without relying on the university’s dining services. According to Dhaliwal, students should be eating every three to four hours; consuming balanced meals (one quarter of the plate is protein, one quarter is carbohydrates and the remaining half is comprised of fruit and vegetables); and carrying around portable snacks like plain nuts, seeds or fresh fruit.
As students delve deeper into another semester of long days and short nights, Dhaliwal reminds them to enjoy the experience when it comes to food.
“Food is part of a lot of social events throughout the semester,” she says, “[but] I like to use the 80/20 rule — 80 per cent of the time we stick to guidelines from Canada’s Food Guide, but 20 per cent of the time we allow ourselves a treat and we enjoy it.”
