Freshman fifteen- is it a myth or is it real? Studies show that although gaining 15 pounds freshman year is unlikely, weight gain tends to happen the first year of college.

The culprit? Lots of factors contribute to weight gain,  but dining halls, providing buffet-style meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner may be an area for improvement for students. Dietetic Interns at Missouri State University are helping first-year students at MSU make healthy choices at two major MSU dining halls by offering free, 2-day diet recalls and nutrition consultations.

Healthy Bear Bites is an innovative way for dietetic interns to promote nutrition awareness, right in the dining centers. By setting up a display booth in the dining centers, interns are able to encourage these 2-day diet recalls and provide nutrition education on the spot. Students coming to the dining center can fill out these recalls and send them back to a dietetic intern to analyze and offer free, individualized, nutrition counseling based on the results.

Come see what they’re all about, as the interns rotate between Garst and Blair-Shannon Dining Centers between 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.!  Here’s the  spring schedule:

March 14 — Blair Dining

March 21–Garst Dining

March 28 — Blair Dining

April 11 — Garst Dining

April 18 — Blair Dining

April 25 — Garst Dining

 

Blog Post by Lily Darbishire, MSU Dietetic Intern