Sajila Nudrat | Health Editor
Featured Image: Nutritional deficiencies can escalate to an array of serious medical emergencies. | Hanad Adan
A nutritional deficiency is when an individual’s body does not absorb or receive the required nutrients from food. Deficiencies of important vitamins and nutrients can result in a variety of health complications. This can include, but is not limited to, digestion problems, stunted growth, skin disorders, and even dementia.
The most prevalent and common types of nutrient deficiencies are B12, calcium, iron, and vitamin D. Iron deficiency is most common in the world—it affects more than 25 per cent of people. Such a deficiency can have lasting physical affects including ulcers and anemia.
College students tend to be more susceptible to deficiencies which can be attributed to several reasons. Students tend neglect their diet, and also have limited access to healthy and affordable food options, which can lead to nutritional deficiency.
Marco Lam, a second-year global political studies student, recounted his experience of living on campus. As vitamin D deficient, Lam was asked how he feels about the food options on campus lacking essential nutrients. “I hate the food options on campus. In general, I find that the quality tends to be very poor, sometimes unsanitary. Getting enough vegetables and leafy greens is especially difficult, but I’m not sure if this is related to these specific nutrients,” he says.
When asked what makes living on campus so difficult, Lam replies: “There are only a couple of restaurants on campus that consistently serve food which hasn’t gone bad. People often suggest going to generic grocery stores, but I find they have sanitation problems as well, with flies sometimes swarming fruits and vegetables. Many of them also lack a lot of the Chinese food crops that my body is most accustomed to. Because of this, the nearest viable supermarket for me is T&T at the Promenade Mall, but ever since the school cut the Viva line, visits to T&T have been extended from 15 minutes to 45 minutes, minimum. Depending on how long I have to wait for each stage of public transportation, it can take anywhere from an hour-and-a-half to two-and-a-half hours, there and back.”
For other food options, Lam has to look away from York. “I have developed a regular habit of taking the subway down to Yorkdale for food. It seems weird to most people, but I find that it is worth the money. I am not adverse to eating at expensive restaurants like Jamie’s Italian or Cheesecake Factory by myself, often just to get proper meals when I am feeling weak and malnourished. I try to get groceries every week, but with schoolwork and extracurriculars, it can be hard to find time to cook and clean for every meal.”
With public transportation becoming a hindrance due to its restricted access on campus, Lam pleaded with York to reinstate the bus lines. “That would reduce my commute for groceries to its original 15 minutes. I have low expectations for the school improving its nutrition and food quality because I find this is a problem that plagues most of Toronto.
“Aside from the topic of nutrients, there must be higher standards of food inspection, especially in the summer when eight out of 10 times I am served food that has gone bad, which induces food poisoning, etc.”
