College health

College Health is a field of medicine that exclusively deals with the medical care of college age students (from age 18 through 28 years). Many colleges and universities campuses offer some sort of student health service, but there is wide variability in the healthcare resources available from campus to campus, with models of student health ranging from first aid stations employing a single nurse to large multi-specialty clinics with hundreds of employees. The vast majority of college health services are set up as service units rather than academic departments. The educational aspect of college health is sometimes referred to Health Promotion in Higher Education.

In 1988, it was estimated that there were approximately 27.3 college health staff per 10,000 students,[1] which if amortized to the 20.7 million students attending the more than 3,400 colleges and universities in the United States (in 2003) ),[2] suggests that there are approximately 56,500 college health professionals in the United States. College health professionals include physicians, physician assistants, administrators, nurses, nurse practitioners, mental health professionals, health educators, athletic trainers, dietitians and nutritionists, and pharmacists. Some college health services extend to include massage therapists and other holistic health professionals. College health professionals are often members of a national body, such as the American College Health Association. Another national body among college health is the National Collegiate EMS Foundation (NCEMSF), which is dedicated to the promotion and support of emergency medical services on college and university campuses.

Trends and Problems of Marijuana Use in College

Marijuana use is more prevalent among college students than the general population. A 2015 study, for example, found the daily use of marijuana was more common than cigarettes among college students.[3]

Alcohol

Alcohol is a depressant used in intoxicating people. It is found in beer, wine, and liquor. Alcohol is made when microorganisms metabolize the carbohydrates when there is no oxygen present. This process is called fermentation. Beer, wine, and liquor contain different amounts of alcohol and thus affect the drinker differently. Liquor has the highest percentage of alcohol, while beer has the lowest.


According to The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug dependence, studies have also shown that drinking alcohol moderately can be helpful to the coronary system. In general, for healthy people, one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men would be considered the maximum amount of alcohol consumption to be considered moderate use. This shows that drinking can be beneficial in moderation. Binge drinking and alcoholism, however, have proven to be harmful.

Eating Disorder

Eating disorders are relatively common among college students.[4][5]

Weight Gain

The entrance of a new life means changing and adapting. Beginning freshmen enter a new phase that affects the way they eat. They are unaware of their nutrition and they only want something from what they see. High school is very different from what college is. Students transition from being in small classroom into big lecture rooms. The same goes for food, they transition from being served in cafeterias to buffet styles in college.[6] Dining centers excite new students because this is a new experience, therefore they grab more than what they should. It’s something new and it’s what they’re paying for.

Around campus are many network of vending machines fill with varieties of junk food. When students don’t have the time to eat they rely on vending machines as a part of their meal.[6] Illinois: Champaign, 2004. Eating junk food lacks nutrition and proteins. Eventually those calories in the products will build up into fats.

Universities are not finding ways to reduce junk food around campus nor providing healtheir meals in dining centers. Instead, university administrators give away specific amount of dining dollars to students who lives on campus.[7] Although they would want to serve healtheir food to their students, the price for them is just too expensive to spend.[6]

Many experiments are being tested to see how much weight can gain in one year. So far study has show stresses in women are more likely to gain weight then non-stress women. Women with stress are more likely to consume alcohol and having the tendencies to go out more in order to eliminate their emotion. They also eat low in fiber and consume more caffeine. Nevertheless, non-stress women have more vegetable in their body and they are cautious enough to stay away from high cholesterol food.[8] Although students do gain weight in college, they can always burn it off by exercising and eating right. Overall meaning limiting how much they eat out and the junk food they pact into their body system. Students can prevent the ‘freshman 15’ if only they put effort and hard work for a healtheir body or image.

Exercising

Exercising has a huge effect on your health as a young adult. It affects your mood, weight, sleep, and strengthens your heart and lungs. Students need to get plenty of sleep in order to have enough energy to make it to all their classes, study, hang out with friends and do whatever else comes to mind. By exercising you can keep concentrated on what work that needs to be done for school and at the end of the day when you crawl into bed you can dose off easily without tossing and turning for a while.

Some college students really enjoy exercising because it is a way to slow them down and help them concentrate. Others exercise for social benefits related to physical attractiveness, ability, and condition. Some even go to the gym in a group to play basketball or tennis, while some go to meet new people.

Going to the gym is a great way to meet people. If you are interested in keeping in shape, then you have at least one thing in common with other people at the gym. Not to mention it is much more motivating to exercise when someone else is doing it with you. On the other hand, while some people really enjoy working out with other people, some like to go because it is their way to have some alone time and get away to reflect on their own life. Many people don’t go to the gym and don’t realize how much it could help them in their life. Not only to help keep them fit but also to meet new people or give themselves that chance to reflect.

Maybe if students were motivated enough to go to the gym everyday, or even 3-5 times a week, they could get into a routine and really like it. By making it part of their daily routine they would make sure to stay healthy during their college life and hopefully afterwards. Not to mention when you look good and feel good you are more confident. Confidence helps your whole self-image and when you feel good about yourself you come off to people differently making them want to be around you and you become a social butterfly.

Exercise can help in many ways if college students would be willing to give it a try. Eventually finding a little bit of time in their daily schedule to squeeze in exercise because they want to see the results or they really just like how it makes them feel afterwards. No matter the reason it is a great way to help yourself throughout your whole life.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Patrick, K (1988). "Student health. Medical care within institutions of higher education". JAMA 260 (22): 3301–5. doi:10.1001/jama.260.22.3301. PMID 3054192.
  2. ↑ "Current Population Survey, October 2003" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2006-10-30.
  3. ↑ Kesling, Ben. "More College Students Use Marijuana Daily, Study Finds". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  4. ↑ Justine J. Reel (2013). Eating Disorders: An Encyclopedia of Causes, Treatment, and Prevention /Justine J. Reel, Editor. ABC-CLIO. p. 295. ISBN 978-1-4408-0058-0.
  5. ↑ M. V. Landow (1 January 2006). Stress and Mental Health of College Students. Nova Publishers. p. 268. ISBN 978-1-59454-839-0.
  6. 1 2 3 Beals, Katherine A. Human Kinetics. Illinois: Champaign, 2004
  7. ↑ Kelly, Katy. “The Freshmen 15”. U.S. World News and World Report.135.4 (2003): 54
  8. ↑ Adam, Troy, and Rini, Angela.” Predicting 1-year change in body mass index among college students.” Journal of American College Health. 55.6 (2007): 361-366

Further reading

External links

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