Eating right in college can be a challenge. The combination of a tight schedule, lack of sleep and the temptation to indulge in less-than-healthy activities creates an environment where eating healthy can seem like an inconvenient chore.

Studies have shown in recent years there has been a rise in diabetes in Americans at an increasingly young age. This increase can be traced back to heightened rates of obesity among children and young adults, said Susan Adams, a research coordinator in the nutritional sciences department.

Finding and maintaining a healthy diet is not as hard as it may seem, however.

Anne Lund, a research coordinator at the Center for Public Health Nutrition, stresses the importance of planning ahead and giving yourself a little time to guarantee that you have healthy things to eat readily available.

"Planning ahead is a huge thing," Lund said. "When I was a student I was pretty time strapped. If you bring some snacks with you when you're out and make some time to go shopping every weekend, having that food that you enjoy and that's good for you isn't such a hassle. If you don't wait until you're starving to decide to get something to eat, you're more likely to make better choices."

Some quick and easy snack foods that Lund recommends are hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, string cheese, nuts, fruit and cottage cheese, cheese and crackers (bought separately, not the snack pack) and hummus.

She also emphasizes the importance of incorporating protein in snack foods, as it provides energy for a longer period of time than the carbohydrates in sugary foods.

Lund says sticking to foods with the least amount of packaging, as they are usually the least processed and more natural.

Shop Smart

Finding the healthier, unprocessed and generally cheaper food doesn't have to be the shopping trip from hell. Going to the right place with the right strategy can make it a breeze.

"I'd recommend shopping at a full-size supermarket," Lund said. "The reason is because they seem to have more produce and unprocessed food and more whole grains and breads than a 7-11-type store. It's hard to put together a balanced diet at a store like that. If you walk around the perimeter of the supermarket you'll come across the produce section, the dairy section, the meat area and usually there will be a bakery as well. Stay away from the center of the market because this is where the processed food tends to be. The more processed the more expensive and unhealthy it will be. Although some processed foods such as pasta can be incorporated too."

Fruits and vegetables were emphasized by both Adams and Lund as being an essential part of any healthy diet.

"Americans don't tend to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables," Adams said. "We are trying to convey that these should be a huge part of your diet on top of the grain base that all diets should be founded on."

If shopping is a rarity due to a dependency on dorm or fraternity/sorority food, supplementing a sometimes monotonous diet with other foods is a good idea.

"If you're dependent on dorm food, you may get tired of the selection," Adams said. "Try to build some other things in. Maybe go out once in a while or keep things in your room like fresh seasonal fruits, a can of fruit juice, a can of vegetable juice, a granola bar, nuts, seeds or trail mix. These can all add the things to your diet that you need and may not be getting otherwise and can add variety."

Adams also says that fat in food does not necessarily mean that it is bad for you.

"Foods that combine some carbohydrates with proteins and fats will create longer-term energy," she said. "It used to be that we always recommended staying away from fats, but today we know that the fats in olive oil and the oils in nuts are a really positive thing. And they really taste good too."

If eating out is a daily or even tri-daily routine, a healthy diet can also be achieved.

"For the students who are going to be eating out often, choose things with smaller amounts of protein and more amounts of fruits, vegetables and whole grains," Adams said. "There are many great ethnic restaurants around that allow you to taste different cultures. They're typically cheaper as well. Vietnamese sandwiches offered at various Vietnamese restaurants on the Ave. and the International District — these sandwiches are one of the best options around. These have bread, a lot of vegetables and a small amount of meat. They're a great take-away lunch that tastes great. Also, just getting a side of rice and beans can be a cheap way to get a snack at a Mexican restaurant. Stay clear of the soda as much as you can, or if you have to, drink diet and definitely [stay] active."

For those that do their own shopping and cook at home, Adams recommends Trader Joe's.

"Trader Joe's has great options for students," Adams said. "I think it just has some great options for take-and-go types of things."

Eat right

In a society where personal appearance weighs heavy on many a mind, the temptation to diet can be strong.

Many diets claim to offer weight loss and other benefits. Some specialized diets such as vegetarianism and veganism are adopted for moral reasons. Whatever the reason for the diet, however, it is important to make sure that the proper amounts of nutrients are still being attained.

"I think you can eat very well as a vegetarian," Adams said. "I'll come back to the fact that whatever nutrients you cut out of your diet, you have to replace those through other, equivalent foods. If you're cutting out dairy products, it's very hard to get that calcium from somewhere else. I have to emphasize that students, especially women, are still in a time of their life when they're laying down calcium in their bones. After 25, you're just maintaining what you already have. Right now, it's very important to get a lot of calcium to avoid problems down the road like osteoporosis."

If weight loss is the reason for dieting, Lund and Adams simply recommend moderation and exercise.

"We're really emphasizing staying active and exercising on a regular basis in addition to a healthy diet these days," Adams said.

Supplements are not a must, but can be incorporated if there's not enough of a certain vitamin or nutrient in a diet.

"If you're eating a wide variety of foods and meeting the recommended amount of the things you need, you don't need supplements," Adams said. "But, if you are lacking in calcium, you may want a supplement. Also, if you're thinking of getting pregnant in the next few years, you'll need to find a good source of foliate — it's linked to healthy births. Fiber is hard to get through supplements, however. The best source of fiber is directly from foods."

Some students understand the importance of a healthy diet and already incorporate many of the above tips into their lives.

"I'll usually start off meals with a salad of mixed greens with chopped-up tomatoes, peppers, cucumber and avocado with fat-free honey mustard dressing," said freshman Erica Stirn. "Then I'll have pasta with marinara and freshly grated parmesan cheese — portioned, of course — and a glass of water or milk. I like eating that way because I know it will benefit me in the long run as well as now with my metabolism and energy."

Stirn operates on a limited budget, but pays attention to sales to economize.

"I usually spend about $60 a week on groceries ... tons of vegetables, pasta, and then I'll get reduced-fat Wheat Thins or chips and guacamole as a snack. I'll get cereal, milk and yogurt for breakfast too."

Stirn recommends that students shop at Safeway.

"They always have stuff on sale. I'll get the pasta that's usually 10 for $10, and avocados are always discounted. Definitely go to Safeway and look for the deals. They put a large variety of stuff on sale all of the time."

Gustaf Andreasen shops on an even tighter budget, but achieves comparable results in his diet.

"I probably spend to $1-5 a day depending on if I'm using groceries or going out, but I spend about $100 every couple of weeks," he said. "I would recommend going to Trader Joe's. There's a lot of budget deals and cheap stuff, and it's all healthy."

Andreasen keeps his eyes peeled for deals, but also incorporates other things into what food he will or will not buy.

"My eye is definitely caught by a bargain, and I tend to buy things that are less expensive. But if it's something I feel strongly about, I'll pay more," he said. "Eggs, for example — I'll pay more for free-grazing chickens instead of ones that are raised in cages, and I buy Fair Trade Coffee instead of the other stuff because I feel better about it."

Andreasen recommends learning how to cook to save money.

"Learn a few simple things to cook, and then you can experiment on your own," Andreasen said. "It saves a lot of money cooking at your own place instead of going out."

Adams encourages students to visit Mypyramid.gov to figure out what their daily diet should look like, because it is different for everyone. There is a simple process on the Web site to help one determine what their diet should look like.

A healthy diet can still be linked to the food guide pyramid.

"All of it goes back to the food guide pyramid," Adams said. "It looks simple, but it represents years and years of research and is revised every few years with new research."

The important thing is finding a diet that makes you feel good because usually this means that it is good, she said.

"Find a way of eating that you can [maintain] for a lifetime," Adams said.

Healthy eating tips for the busy college student

1. Eat a good breakfast. Studies show that skipping breakfast detracts from scholastic achievement. When there isn't time to sit down and enjoy your morning meal, grab a bagel, piece of fruit and some juice. Most of these items can be easily stored in your dorm room.

2. If you must eat fast foods, choose wisely. Choose pizza with half the cheese, a regular-sized roast beef sandwich, baked potato or green salad with reduced calorie dressing. Limit high-fat offerings like french fries, fried chicken or fish sandwiches and watch out for salad dressing.

3. Keep healthful snacks on hand so if hunger strikes during a late-night study session, you won't be tempted by vending machine candy, chips or ice cream. Possibilities include fresh or dried fruit, pretzels, unbuttered popcorn, rice cakes or whole-wheat crackers. If you have a refrigerator, consider raw vegetables with low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese dip.

4. Eat plenty of foods that are rich in calcium. People in their early twenties need to build up stores of calcium in their bodies to prevent osteoporosis in later life. If you don't like milk, try to include ample amounts of low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese and green leafy vegetables in your diet.

5. If you need to lose weight, do it sensibly. Starvation and/or diets that offer a quick fix usually backfire and are harmful. There is not truth to the theories that suggest eating foods in any particular combination will promote weight loss. The only safe way to lose weight, feel good while doing it and keep it off is to eat a balanced diet.

6. Sugar provides calories in your diet but few other nutrients, and it contributes significantly to tooth decay. Use it sparingly and consider sweetening coffee, tea, cereal and fruit with diet sweeteners instead.

7. The dining-hall salad bar can be either an asset or a detriment to you diet depending on how you choose from it. Of course, leafy greens, raw vegetable and fresh fruit are beneficial. But if you choose a lot of creamy dressing, bacon bits and mayonnaise-based salads, the calories and fat may equal or even exceed those of a burger and fries.

8. Keep in mind that alcohol supplies calories but no nutritional value. A light beer, a glass of wine or an ounce of liquor each has about 100 calories.

9. Drink lots of water. Your body needs at least eight glasses a day, and if you exercise vigorously, you may need more. To remind yourself, carry a water bottle along to class and keep it handy during late night study sessions.

— NYU.edu

Reach reporter Camden Swita at features@thedaily.washington.edu.