Editorial:

Rider promotes healthier lifestyles

There is obvious irony to be found when one takes the time to realize that we’re living in an era where people are frightfully obsessed with crash diets and low-carb or fat-free foods while there is an obesity epidemic running amok in this society.

What does it say about Americans when over half of our country’s citizens fall under the medical definition of being overweight? Are we lazy, or do our modern-day conveniences require us to exert less effort? Are we too willing to settle for quick and inexpensive fast foods instead of opting to spend a little more time and money on healthier dietary choices, or do we simply not have the time to eat right?

Fortunately for Rider students, Daly’s understands that many of its patrons maintain extraordinarily hectic schedules and are among the faction of Americans who are wholly consumed by accomplishing too many things and trying to be in too many places at once. Most of Daly’s edible offerings now proudly display their nutritional information so that busy students can quickly decide if that second helping of chicken will put them over their suggested calorie intake for the day.

Unfortunately for Rider students, those of us who aren’t too myopic to decipher the tiny print will either go blind trying to figure out how many calories they’re consuming or be quite dismayed to find that it’s a better move to dash away in search of the local McDonald’s, since a Big Mac makes for a shockingly healthier evening meal.

The gesture is an awfully considerate one, though, and it seems a little unappreciative to complain when Daly’s isn’t required to supply us with additional information about the food we’re served. That being said, it would be nice if we could also have access to information such as ingredients or more specific serving sizes. People do have food allergies and may not be aware that a dish contains the very ingredient that could land them in the hospital, so making us more aware of what we’re eating might be a beneficial move. Also, it looks a little less shady if Daly’s displays all of a certain food’s information instead of just selectively addressing its nutritional information. As it stands, it seems a little suspicious that we still don’t know all of what goes into our daily meals.

While it’s great to know how healthy (or unhealthy) our Daly’s meals are, it is simply not enough to merely watch what one eats. The continued efforts at the Student Recreation Center (SRC) help to make sure Rider students’ exercise rituals are more than climbing the academic buildings’ stairs and running from their rooms to their classes. In addition to all of the nifty methods of staying fit one will find in the brand-spanking-new athletic center, the SRC also offers a variety of charmingly unconventional fitness courses, such as classes in yoga, pilates, sports training and social dancing.

College is an opportunity for intellectual growth, indeed, but it doesn’t mean we have to neglect our physical well-being while trying to succeed scholastically. Thankfully, Rider has recognized this and is offering us a chance to keep our bodies healthy.


This weekly editorial expresses the majority opinion of The Rider News editorial board and is written by the Opinion Editor.