What questions are nutrition students asking? A great way to kick off the semester!

[jamiepopeauthor]

The first week of classes for too many semesters to count, I asked my students to submit one nutrition or diet related question via our LMS that they'd like addressed over the course of the semester.   I have thousands of these questions!   They reflect what's trending (popular diets, etc.) as well as fundamental questions about what constitutes a healthy diet, plant-based eating, supplements, and more.   I considered these questions when preparing my lectures (for example, what are their questions or misconceptions about carbohydrates?).   For the Nutrition in the News project (see previous post -search Nutrition in the News or email me for a copy), I choose four or five topics from among the questions for students to choose one to research.  Finally, for their last participation activity I provide an Excel list of their questions (without names) and ask them to address one....my hope is that by scrolling through the questions from the first week of class students get a sense of what they've learned, but also how much there is to learn in the arena of nutrition!   Here's a sampling of questions, note how some demonstrate inherent misconceptions....

Does one's nutrition/diet affect how COVID-19 impacts his or her body? If so, how?
How necessary is it to have three meals a day and which one is the priority?
How many carbs on average should one eat during a day?
What foods are best to avoid?
Which fad diets are actually good for you?
What is the relationship between your diet and your mood and/or mental health (if there is one)?
How much protein is too much?
Are multivitamins helpful?
Are there benefits of dairy in the human diet or is it healthier to altogether eliminate dairy?
What are the true benefits of a plant-based diet?
How I can I ensure I'm getting all my required nutrients on a plant-based diet?
I would like to learn more about the effects of red meat on health and cancer.
What does a well-balanced diet look like
What types of food aid in better performance???
I am curious about coffee. What are the nutritional benefits? How much is too much coffee?
How should what one consumes change over the lifespan?
is diet soda actually that bad for you?
Is there any science behind Omega-3 and fish oil consumption.
How can I maintain a healthy gut with my diet?
Does diet or exercise play a larger role in overall health and weight?
How can you have a healthy and good diet while still eating what you want?