Food News, with Christine Rutter

A FRIGHTENING number of students are suffering from malnutrition and other disorders including scurvy and anaemia.

And the shock research has been backed up by statistics which show that students binge on junk food with little regard for their health.

New research by Sanatogen Gold reveals that students work and play hard, but don't eat healthily. They gorge on high-calorie snacks including chocolates and crisps between lectures, and spend around £16 to £20 per week socialising - more than their food bill which totals £11 to £15.

NUS spokeswoman Louise Clarke said: "More and more students are suffering from malnutrition disorders. Scurvy and anaemia are on the increase as cash-strapped students live off very poor diets."

But the findings are contradicted by East Lancashire past and present students.

Former Newcastle University student Julie Bann, 22, of Booth Road, Waterfoot, said: "Being a vegetarian meant I could spend more on fruit and vegetables and I shopped for cheap deals. I ate junk food, but not often. Some students have never cooked before or are too busy to cook using fresh produce, so don't eat healthily. I made it a priority to eat well so I could to perform well in my studies."

Claire Towler, of Beech Street, Great Harwood, a former media degree student at Accrington and Rossendale College, said: "I worked part-time during my studies so I had more money than the average student to spend on food. "I survived by buying cheap salad and teaming it with jacket potato. I did try to eat healthily.

"A lot of pubs and clubs have cheap student nights encouraging students to spend more on beer than food."

Blackburn College beauty therapy student Zoe Parr said: "I work part-time on the market so I get my fruit and veg cheap. I do skip breakfast a lot but it ruins my concentration in the morning because I'm starving. I spend £20 on food and £10 going out but only because my boyfriend pays when we go out!"

Student Jodie Mellor, 17, of Bispham Road, Nelson, said: "To avoid junk food, I take a packed lunch with fruit to lectures."

With the new intake of 'freshers' at universities, Alison Scarborough, community dietician for Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Trust, warned: "Despite financial circumstances, it is important that students receive all the nutrition needed to get the best results from their studies.

"University life is notorious for burning the candle at both ends studying and socialising. A good, varied diet helps the body stay fit in such a fast lifestyle.

"You can eat healthily on a budget with some shopping and cooking skills. Much depends on how much budget goes on beer and travelling home and whether they were brought up on convenience foods."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.