Ramen noodles, frozen pizza and canned foods are staples in a college student's diet, and these foods have one thing in common: high amounts of sodium.
According to a study conducted by the International Food Information Council Foundation, most college-aged individuals are not concerned with how much sodium they consume.
The results of the study, released last month, state that only 22 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds are somewhat concerned about personal sodium intake.
Dietary sodium has received a lot of attention due to its possible effect on blood pressure and the frequency of hypertension in the U.S. population, according to the foundation's October newsletter.
In one day, a healthy person should consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium, which is the equivalent of about one teaspoon of salt.
An American adult consumes about 3,400 milligrams of sodium every day, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
"New incidences of high blood pressure among college students are definitely increasing," said Janis Mena, a registered dietitian at the UF Student Health Care Center.
Making meals at home is the first step in controlling sodium intake.
"Nobody needs to eat out every day," she said. "Even having your own turkey sandwich is better than eating fast-food meals."
If a student chooses to eat convenient processed food, he or she can still limit sodium intake.
"I call it the dilution factor," she said. "Add
fresh chicken or a head of broccoli to a frozen meal, and make two servings out of one."
This method can cut sodium levels in half.
In addition, eating more fruits and vegetables and using herbs and spices to flavor food are good ways to limit sodium intake.
Katie Riden, 18, a psychology freshman, said students buy convenience foods because they are easy to cook and can be stored for a long time.
"We just want food, and we want it now," Riden said.
"We are too busy studying and doing other things to cook."
