According to the CDC, the estimated annual cost of obesity in 2008 was $147 billion. The medical cost for obese patients was also $1,429 higher than those of a normal weight.

Generation X is affected because of this health risk. One of the results may be that this generation may have a shorter lifespan than their parents.

“Obesity is at an all-time high today and it is the major precursor in many preventable diseases, such as heart diseases, cancers, diabetes,” said Dr. Jennifer Leheska, a Sports and Exercise Science instructor at West Texas A&M University.

One of the most important factors in remaining healthy is nutrition. Mercedez Hernandez, a senior Pre-Med/Health Sciences major, called it the foundation of health.

“I am studying to become a doctor,” she said, “and the whole reason why I love nutrition so much is because it is a form of medicine. However it is preventative medicine. A sound diet can decrease your chances of having high blood pressure or diabetes, and these are issues that doctors deal with every day.”

Nutrition is an important aspect in remaining healthy because it can help with stress, sleep, studying, and class work. Being unhealthy can cause problems with bones and cardiovascular health. Everything springs up from what goes into the body.

“It’s very important to take care of your body, meaning not skipping meals – that won’t get you anywhere,” said Elissa Betts, an NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer. “Taking care of your body is a pretty hefty task, you have to know what you are doing, know how to understand what your body is telling you.”

Though sometimes it is difficult to follow a nutritious diet and to also find good information, it is important to not believe everything you read or hear, said Leheska, especially in social media, as well as not getting advice from a true nutrition expert.

“Nutrition is a complex science and when seeking nutrition advice for anything from weight loss to performance, it is important to work with a Certified Registered Dietician who is a trained nutrition expert, as relying on advice from an untrained person can be misleading and in certain cases even dangerous,” said Leheska, who is also a registered dietician.

The term “nutrition” can give the wrong impression, causing doubt and frustration. But it can be a fun thing, causing a surprising effect on the body, said Hernandez, resulting in better sleep, more athleticism, and even better results in class. If you truly want to achieve your fitness goals, using supplements like Carbofix can be a huge difference-maker.

“When you are eating in the cafeteria, four out of the five days you eat there, have some fruit as your dessert, eating that last so it still seems like a dessert,” said Betts. “And then one day of that week, you get to pick your favorite dessert, say two scoops from the ice cream bar. Eventually you will find the more that you remove the bad things from your mouth, the more it will appreciate the simple things, the good things.”