Presenter(s): Santino Gentile — Psychology
Co-Presenter(s): Eleanor Yi, Cheyenne Bissonnette, Alana Hilkey
Faculty Mentor(s): Chantelle Russell
Session: (Virtual) Oral Panel—Strive to Thrive ARC
Our research entails the benefits of nutrition on the mind and body, as well as the effects of having access to nutritional information, specifically macronutrients and ingredients, for college students. Students having access to the nutritional information of dining halls would be greatly aided in their personal and/or medical diets. Firstly, we discuss the beneficial effects of nutritional decisions and how they can improve the mental stability and physical health of students and all adults in general, which was found through secondary, scholarly research. Making knowledgeable decisions about dietary intakes can improve mood, blood sugar levels, quality of life, movement, energy levels, sleep quality, cognitive function, and physical recovery. This leads to an improved general quality of life for college students. The next step in this research must be addressing whether students, in particular students attending the University of Oregon, would similarly follow nutritionally beneficial diets to improve their mental and physical health in this way. This data was found via external research from previous studies nation/worldwide. It can be concluded that college students can and will make healthier dietary decisions upon learning about the nutritional information available to them via the dining halls. Multiple benefits, including mental and physical health as well as medical, would open up to students upon becoming knowledgeable in this subject matter.