Nutrition/Diet Priority Action Group

"Eating unhealthful foods in large quantities makes students less motivated to visit the Wellness Center or attempt to live a more healthy life. This can cause stress to the student..."
- Danielle Schermerhorn, Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Student

"Unhealthy and irregular eating habits combined with lack of exercise is a frequent occurrence for students."
- Joan Jorde, Assistant Director of UND's TRIO Programs

"Home and local food [for international students]if found, create a feeling of comfort and surety when it comes to cooking it."
-Vincent Bulus, Education & Human Development Department Graduate Student

Rationale
Regardless of their body mass index, 42% of all students reported dieting to lose weight. ¹

“Healthy eating is associated with lower risk for: chronic diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and certain cancers; overweight and obesity; micronutrient deficiencies; nutrition among the U.S. population needs improvement. Sixty-three percent of the adult population is overweight or obese and fewer than 25% of Americans eat fruits and vegetables of five or more times per day.” ²

Description
This Priority Action Group composed of student, faculty, and staff members meets monthly at UND to evaluate environmental factors, analyze problems, share best practices, establish goals, create SMART objectives, develop recommendations and strategies, and ultimately create a campus-wide action plan. This action plan will be submitted to UND’s President for final consideration and when approved, it will serve as a guide for all UND health and wellness initiatives until the year 2020.

Best Practice Articles

Dairy Bar Menu 
Healthy Horns 
Barriers to Healthy Eating 
Dr. Bell Notes pages from nutrition matters 
EADES Stress-Related Eating Questionnaire 
Evaluation of the Energize Your Life 
Wellness Factors in First Year College Students 
Nutrition Awareness Survey 
Nutrition Guide 2009 

References
1. “UND Student Health Highlights 2008.” National College Health Assessment. Baltimore, MD: American College Health Association Administrated at UND by Student Health Services, 2008. Print.

2. “Promoting Good Nutrition.” The Community Guide to Preventative Services. Community Guide Branch, National Center for Health Marketing (NCHM), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 June 2010. Web. 7 Jul 2010.