Bombarded with classes, exams and extracurriculars, busy college students rarely find the time to eat a healthy meal.
Instead, they often turn to fast food alternatives to fill their stomachs at the end of the day or between classes.
But as fast food has become an integral part of the American lifestyle, so has excess weight and high blood pressure.
"Fast food is a reflection of the pace in this country," said Rita Smith, a registered dietician at Martha Jefferson Hospital. "People don't take time to eat and everything is frantic."
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Eating fast food has risen from occasional to routine, while ideally it should be a rare event, Smith added.
In 1970, Americans spent about six billion dollars annually on fast food - by 2000, the number skyrocketed to $110 billion.
"I go to McDonald's on a daily basis because it is fast and convenient," first-year Engineering student Nicole Rossi said. "All I have to say is medium number three with a diet coke and it is there within a few moments."
The 2001 Quick Service Restaurant report ranked McDonald's No. 1 in fast food net sales. Burger King came in second, and KFC, Pizza Hut, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Hardee's and Domino's Pizza were among the top 10.
"We love convenience. We are not a society that likes cooking and sitting down to eat a healthy meal," Student Health Clinical Nutritionist Susan Del Gobbo said.
According to Smith, 61 percent of adults in this country are overweight or obese.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute assesses weight using a measurement called the body mass index.
Individuals' BMI is calculated by dividing their weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters.
Overweight people have a BMI of 25 to 29.9, while obese people have a BMI greater than 30.
With many Americans eating fast food on a daily basis, it's no wonder their waistlines are expanding.
One fast food sandwich a day often can come close to exceeding single-handedly the Food and Drug Administration's recommended daily allowances.
For example, one McDonald's Big Mac sandwich has 560 calories and 31 grams of fat, about half of the FDA recommended daily fat intake. A Burger King Whopper sandwich has 730 calories and 46 grams of fat.
A sandwich does not always fill a hungry appetite on it's own, though - side items such as french fries are ordered just as often.
"What's a quarter-pounder without the fries?" Rossi asked.
French fries are the most widely sold fast food item, with some experts estimating the typical American consumes more than 30 pounds of fries each year.
"I see a surprising number of college age students with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and excess weight," Smith said. "Eating fast food on a regular basis can lead to these health risks."
Nutrition experts like Del Gobbo point out that the modern fast food lifestyle too often results in excessive calories and fat in American's diets.
Many nutrition experts believe food habits developed as a child often carry over into adolescence and adulthood.
"For children, eating fast food as a routine often leads to narrow food preferences, high fat intake and by their teens they are battling their waist line," Smith said.
Many fast food restaurants are starting to offer healthier food choices, such as garden burgers and veggie burgers.
"While I'm not an advocate for fast food, there are items which tend to be lower in fat and saturated fat than others," Del Gobbo said. "I suggest grilled rather than fried, a burger without cheese, a garden burger if available and salads, but watch the dressing."
Items marked "salad" on the menu can be deceiving at times - just because it's a salad doesn't mean it's healthier. A taco salad and a 16-ounce soda from Taco Bell contains a whopping 1,057 calories and 57 grams of fat.
Smith advises choosing single layer sandwiches without cheese and smaller portions of fries to cut down on fat and calorie intake.
"Stay away from items that are supersized, jumbo or biggie-sized," she added. "That is only adding more calories and fat, especially with fries."
Smith suggests trying a happy meal or a kid's meal in place of extra value meals or replacing fries with a tossed side salad in order to add fiber.
But although healthy choices among fast food items exist, many Americans find it difficult to give up their favorite meals, no matter what the cost.
"I'm not going to stop eating what I love to eat because of possible health concerns," Rossi said. "I'm young and it hasn't affected me yet"
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