Tuesday, March 24, 1998
Snack attack
Weight gain not related to late-night snacking, but to amount of calories consumed
By CHERYL YANKOLONISCollegian Staff Writer
It's a common belief that eating after 10 p.m. will cause weight gain.
"My parents always told me not to eat after 7 p.m., (but) I do, occasionally," said Margaret Stanton (junior-political science).
A woman munches away on a bag of tortilla chips and bottle of soda. Although some may believe that eating these snacks late at night may cause obesity, University official say the two may not be correlated. (Collegian Photo Illustration/Aimee C. Toberman - click for full size image)
"A lot of students are surprised when they come in and I
suggest evening snacks," she said. "What happens at
night is that students watching TV or having a conversation at
dinner don't concentrate on eating and tend to eat more."
Mary Picciano, professor of nutrition, said she personally does
not know about any research on the correlation of late-night eating
and obesity. She did say that when eating late at night, weight
gain depends on your energy balance, how much energy one ingests
and how much energy one expends.
There are also some biological facts that help explain why teen-agers
get so hungry late at night.
Althea Zanecosky, American Dietetic Association spokeswoman and
University graduate, said people in their late teens are on a
different biological clock, causing them to eat later in the morning
and later in the night.
"Calories eaten in the morning are better metabolized than at night, but it all depends on what you are eating," she said. "The best things to eat at night are dried fruits, crackers or even hot chocolate."
A student rummages through a refrigerator in search of a late-night snack. (Collegian Photo Illustration/Aimee C. Toberman - click for full size image)
"I try to eat a good breakfast and dinner, and when I am
studying, I find oranges to be a refreshing snack," said
Gordon (freshman-bimolecular biology).
Snacks that are high in protein can be a good benefit to students,
said Leslie Bonci, American Dietetic Association spokeswoman.
"When studying, students should try to eat snacks that are
high in protein. Protein increases the level of dopamine in the
body, which increases alertness," she said.
Bonci also added that alcohol is an appetite stimulant that lowers the body's blood-sugar level while raising hunger levels.
