Chocolate.

Orange soda.

Liquor.

Lemon poppy seed muffins.

Eggo Waffles.

Garlic bread.

Eggs.

French fries.

Onion rings.

Oreos.

Doritos. 

We love food, and we’re going to go out on a limb and guess that you do too. As college students, we live incredibly busy lives with little time to spare.

It’s no surprise then, that for many of us, junk food acts as an easy, tasty way to refuel our engines in preparation for the next crazy task on our day-to-day to-do lists.

In fact, it’s almost safe to say that in America and among college students, eating acts as a key tool for social interaction.

Who doesn’t love to order a pizza with friends on a Saturday night, grill a few burgers and drink a few beers, or run through the nearest fast food restaurant on the way home for a quick bite to eat? It’s the American Dream, for heavens sake!

But how much is too much, and what are the lifelong consequences of a poor diet anyway?

According to a recent article on CNN.com, a study conducted by a professor at the University of Oxford found that having a body mass index (BMI) anywhere between 30-45 could cut off at least two years of a person’s life, and even as much as ten.

A person’s BMI is calculated by entering their height and weight into a standard formula. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those with a BMI between 18.5-24.9 are categorized under the “normal” weight status. Those below 18.5 are categorized under the “underweight” weight status, those between 25.0-29.9 are categorized under “overweight”, and 30 or higher, under the “obese” weight status.

The researchers leading the study analyzed over 57 studies including around 900,000 people as a way to investigate how excess weight affects death risks from specific causes such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and kidney disease.

While this particular study found that excess weight might indeed have an influence on mortality, the authors of the CNN.com article illustrate that other studies have not found any increased risk of mortality associated with being categorized within the overweight weight status but not the specific obese category.

We feel that it’s probably no surprise for most to hear that obesity is a problem in the U.S. Although some steps are being taken on a small-scale level around the country, we want to see a more established national campaign that teaches people of all ages about obesity, how it affects people, and the realistic prevention methods that one can use to ensure a long, healthy, happy life.