‘Eat Smart’ program aids in healthy living

  "Eat Smart and Win" is the new campaign taking root in Winslow Dining Hall and the Thoroughbred Room in an effort to help students make healthier food choices.
  I am a huge advocate of eating healthy, so I give roaring applause to the University for taking part in the well-being of its students.
  This is why the new Eat Smart campaign works for me. Visually, the logo (which can be found on the Murray State Dining Services Web site, as well as throughout the dining halls) immediately tells me healthy choices are available.
   I don't have to search around, squinting to read nutrition labels to know what's good or bad. The logo is right there.
  According to the Web site, in order for food items to receive a “healthy” logo, the item must pass five out of six criteria, such as having less trans fat, sodium and cholesterol and more fiber, among others.
  By making healthy choices easier and more widely available, I find it harder to eat unhealthy foods.
  If you dare to compare nutrition information between healthy and unhealthy options, it becomes even easier to choose the healthier item. This is why I will forever forego Ramen with its 861mg of sodium.
  Eating healthier also tackles the ever-present problem of obesity in America.
  As printed in The News last week, in 2007 69 percent of Americans were obese. In order for this percentage to decrease, students have to take an active role in being smarter with food and exercise.
  Never in society has it been more prevalent for young adults to take responsibility for their health. We have to care about our health now, so we will still have it in our later years.
  We're in the prime of our lives, and in order for us to enjoy it, we have to eat better, be active and generally take care of ourselves. The campaign is another push from the University for us to do just that.
  I also applaud the Eat Smart campaign because it defeats the stereotype that healthy food isn't enjoyable.
 The food in Winslow Dining Hall and the T-Room is not wrapped in plastic or bought from a vending machine. It consists of healthy, well-prepared meals I could find at home, served on a plate and eaten with a fork.
 On nights when I'm stuck in the library for hours and can't make it home to have dinner, I know I can find something just as delicious in one of the dining halls.
  So hear my applause, Murray State, for making my quest for health easier.
 Programs like this will encourage students to take responsibility for their health while they're still young and help them reach goals they set for themselves.
 Now, if you could just work on a “Take More Naps campaign,” that would be fabulous.