As the cost of tuition at private colleges and universities increases every year, some researchers are led to believe that students can live healthier lives elsewhere for significantly less amounts of money.
Steven Kotler, in the latest issue of the magazine Psychology Today, argues that the combination of high fat intake, low amounts of sleep and heavy drinking characteristic of college students all impair memory and learning.
Part of his argument is based on findings from the Tufts Longitudinal Health Study (TLHS), an annual health survey conducted by researchers at Tufts' Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.
The latest TLHS - from data collected last year - found that at least 70 percent of students consume too much saturated fat, which has been shown in studies to impair memory.
Freshman Bridget Belliveau said she's not at all surprised by the TLHS findings. "There's a lot of fried food in the cafeteria," she said. Although she wasn't aware of the affects of hydrogenated oils on memory, she said she did know to avoid them in general.
Friedman School Professor and TLHS Director Christina Economos, said, however, that the cafeterias are not entirely to blame.
"It's a mutual understanding between students and [Dining] Services that has to happen," she said. "I know that [Dining Services] has made efforts [to include healthier food choices] that have been rejected by students."
The TLHS begins with a paper survey that is mailed to incoming students the summer before they enter Tufts. Once a year, participants also attend an Assessment Day, during which data on physical, mental and social health are collected.
In addition to the data on excess saturated fat consumption from Tufts, Kotler also attributes students' memory problems to sleep deprivation. A Stanford University survey found that 80 percent of its students could be considered sleep-deprived. Because sleep permits the brain to process new information, the Stanford study found that subjects who slept overnight beforehand remembered how to play keyboard sequences 20 to 30 percent better than those who did not.
The TLHS does not quantify sleep deprivation, but Economos said that several students reported that they do not feel that they get enough sleep.
Freshman Jen Woodman said she knows the perils of too little shut-eye. "I keep falling asleep, even in my favorite classes," she said.
College campuses are also known for being drinking havens. Kotler also presents a nationwide survey conducted by Harvard University that found that 44 percent of college students qualify as binge drinkers. Through experiments on rats at the University of North Carolina, heavy alcohol consumption has been linked to the inhibition of brain function.
Economos said she agreed that college is not exactly the ideal learning environment. "It's what you make of it," she said. "For a lot of students it is their first time living independently ... [and] it takes time to work out a schedule that allows them to focus."
Belliveau, who occasionally drinks with her friends, said that she felt her habits at Tufts were not significantly affecting her academics. "I feel like I moderate things well enough," she said.
