Michael’s Case Study Discussion

Michael is a 22-year-old college student who lives off-campus. Although he has a kitchen in his apartment, he has neither the time nor the interest in making his own food or stocking his own kitchen. All three of his daily meals come from fast-food restaurants. A typical day’s intake is shown below:

Breakfast: Two egg and bacon sandwiches on English muffins; large coffee with creamer and sugar

Lunch: Two cheeseburgers with catsup; large French fries; soft drink; cookies

Dinner: A foot-long submarine with cold cuts, cheese, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles; bag of potato chips; soft drink

Snacks: Chocolate bar; chips and salsa; popcorn

***ANSWER QUESTIONS:
What vitamins is Michael probably lacking in his diet? What vitamins is he probably getting enough of?
Are there better choices he could make at fast-food restaurants that would improve his vitamin intake?
What suggestions would you make for keeping “quick” and “easy” food in his apartment that would improve his vitamin intake without being too much “bother”?
How would you respond to this question from Michael: “Can I just take a multivitamin so I don’t have to make changes in my eating habits?

ANSWER

Eating Healthy Food in College

What vitamins is Michael probably lacking in his diet?

Fast-food restaurants serve foods rich in calories and fats but low in minerals and vitamins. These foods have trans-fatty acids that are harmful to the body. Michael’s daily diet is deficient in vitamins A and Vitamin E, which typically come from green leafy vegetables and fruits.

What Vitamins is he getting enough of?

Michael takes a lot of junk food; therefore, he eats food with low vitamin content. However, he gets enough Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin K. Vitamin C are provided by tomatoes, onions, and potatoes (from fries and chips). Pickles are rich in Vitamin K compared to Tomatoes. Vitamin B6 is found in tomatoes and onions.

Are there better choices he could make at fast-food restaurants to improve his vitamin intake?

It is possible to eat a well-balanced diet; rich in vitamins and minerals in a fast-food restaurant. Michael can improve his diet by increasing his consumption of fruits and vegetables. A good example is ordering or eating salads that come with high-fat dressings. Michael can also replace soft drinks with low-calorie beverages such as low-fat and skimmed milk and fruit juices (Healthy Beverage Guidelines, 2012). He can also replace French fries and cheeseburgers with light dressings, green salads, plain baked potatoes, or fresh fruits. He can eat whole grains, e.g., brown rice, wheat, maize, millet, and oats. For lunch or dinner, Michael can eat starchy roots, e.g., cassavas and sweet potatoes and legumes (World Health Organization, 2020). These foods are rich in vitamins. In addition, he could increase his intake of animal products like grilled fish or chicken. They are of high nutritional value, especially proteins.

What suggestions would you make for keeping “quick” and “easy” food in his apartment that would improve his vitamin intake without being too much “bother”?

College life can be busy, and balancing between assignments, cats, and lessons can be challenging for most students. However, there are some foods that could be easily prepared within a short time. Michael can take egg breakfast wraps with bacon, avocado, and tomato for breakfast. Fixing this meal will only take a few minutes. Instead of taking large coffee with creamer and sugar, he could take fruit juice. With this for breakfast, he would have taken a rich amount of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Vitamin D, and proteins. Avocado wraps, Chickpea salad, Curried Cauliflower Soup, and Quinoa salad are good examples of foods that can be easily prepared. Michael should also consider healthy snacks like fresh fruits, crackers, cereals, hummus, low-fat yogurt, unsalted nuts, seeds, and butter.

How would you respond to this question from Michael: “Can I take a multivitamin, so I don’t have to make changes to my eating habits?

Health guidelines do not encourage replacing real foods with dietary supplements. A study conducted by Lentjes (2019) said that beliefs such as “supplements are not harmful” or “supplements make me healthy” are narrow-minded and untrue. For example, clinical trials have recommended against using omega-3 supplements in heart disease prevention, yet fish and fish lower your risk of cardiovascular mortality (Lentjes, 2019). Excess supplement intake may lead to health complications. For example, Vitamin A supplements are fat-soluble; hence, their excessive intake may build up in the body and become toxic (Lentjes, 2019). This study demonstrates that you need to eat natural foods to reap their benefits. Supplements are chemicals, and their benefits cannot outmatch natural foods.

References

Healthy beverage guidelines. (2012, September 18). The Nutrition Source. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks-full-story/#level-5

Lentjes, M. A. (2019). The balance between food and dietary supplements in the general population. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 78(1), 97–109. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665118002525

World Health Organization. (2020, April 29). Healthy diet. World Health Organization: WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet

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