The Campus Health Center at the University of California Riverside campus offers students nutrition and healthy lifestyle guidance with the goal of improving overall student health.  Dr. Ken Stewart, Preventive Care Specialist at the Campus Health Center, discusses the services provided by the CHC and the most common nutrition issues faced by students today.

What are the goals of UCR Campus Health Center/Preventive Care?

The goals of Preventive Care which is housed at the Campus Health Center (CHC) are to provide students of the campus community the opportunity to explore and learn about various chronic diseases and ways to live a healthy lifestyle.

Could you describe your responsibilities at the CHC?

As a Clinical Preventive Care Specialist, I counsel students on a host of lifestyle issues. I counsel students on nutrition, exercise physiology, stress and smoking cessation. I also coordinate the Preventive Care Advocates (PCA), a Peer Health Education Program. PCAs carry important health information and resources to students on campus. Through awareness campaigns, staffing health booths, health assessments, outreaching to student organizations and participating in major events, this team strives to help change the culture of the campus and increase a desire to be mentally, socially and physically fit.

What are some of the most common nutritional issues you encounter?

The most common nutritional issues I encounter are students who are trying to manage their weight.  We understand through research that weight is a significant risk factor for a lot of the chronic diseases that we see in this country and even on college campuses. Another issue is students not knowing how much calories their body consumes (their basal metabolic rate). I believe when students know how many calories their body consumes, they are more apt to take better control of what they eat.

What do you think are the biggest challenges students face today when it comes to keeping a healthy diet?

Most students who are in college don’t know what to eat. They also don’t have time to cook a meal. Those two challenges give rise to not consuming a healthy diet.

What responses have you gotten from students?

They are surprised that a service such as Preventive Care is located on campus. So they are happy that there is someone on staff that has training in nutrition, exercise physiology, stress management and smoking cessation on campus.

What would you advise students entering college or university that are concerned about keeping healthy eating habits?

I would first tell them to know where there health center and the recreational center are on campus. Because those entities can help them maintain healthy eating habits. Also by knowing their health status (body fat, BMI, calories, daily food consumption record) and reviewing it with a healthcare specialist is key.

What do you see as the future of UCR Campus Health Center/Preventive Care?

I foresee students eating better, visiting the student recreational center more and living a healthy life.