U Weekly. Serving The Ohio State University in Columbus Ohio

Battling the 'buffet effect'

By Colin Day

Ohio State University Campus Dining offers more than 20 different food locations across the expansive 1,755-acre Columbus campus. Choosing a food station is not the problem, but choosing the proper amount to stuff in our gullet could be.

"When you offer more food, the people tend to eat more," said Dr. Julie Shertzer, program specialist at the department of human nutrition. "We end up eating more than we planned to really eat ... you can pile it on your plate."

The "buffet effect," as it is known, encourages visitors to go through the line, picking up as much food as possible. The mere presence of delectables makes you crave them more, and chafer dishes steaming with piles of food mean you will pile it on your plate, regardless of how hungry you might be. Is this truth too hard to swallow for university chefs?

OSU executive chef Mark Newton, said that the students are partially to blame for their own habits. "All [dining] locations have healthy options. It's just people making right choices that is really the issue."

Newton explained that the foods the university offers are not always the fatty delights that are often associated with normal college student cuisine. In fact, salad bars, cut fruit and yogurts have, in his own estimation, become a hit with all students. Of course, there are still those who still think that two cups of bacon on your plate is a suitable breakfast.

"We can't really say, 'no, you can't have that,' but we try to say, 'do you really want to eat that much bacon?'" said Newton.

While they might not be able to interfere directly with student dining habits, Newton explained that the university has decided to have staff serve the students so they "don't have free reign over the buffet items."

But is that enough to prevent people and their insatiable appetites from going up for seconds?

Just take a look at this sample menu from June 1 of Spring Quarter. North Commons offered a dinner that included a black bean enchilada (524 calories), Spanish rice (230 calories) and a mushroom and cheese strudel (320 calories). The trio adds up to 1,074 calories, which is half of your daily caloric intake (as recommended by the USDA) without even taking into account a second helping, the beverage or dessert.

According to Dr. Shertzer, a perceived lack of healthy foods is making it difficult for students to follow healthy eating habits. "I think you can find healthy options in most places that you eat, but there are not enough of them. There are not enough of the healthy options, so it does not make it the easy choice."

Seth Salisbury, a fourth-year student, begged to differ. After catching up with him at the Fresh Express, he explained that what he decided to eat for dinner was based on what was available to him, which in fact, was a lot. "I've got broccoli and fruit, but they had that stuff available. But you don't have to eat healthy ... you just have to pick the right food."

Many of the items on the menu can be offered in various forms, whether you want it nice and oily, covered in sauce or to have it made grilled. What you stack on your plate, however, is ultimately up to the student to decide.

"I try to preach moderation," said Newton. "You can have that, just don't eat two pounds of it."

Originally Published: February 3, 2010

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