French fries piled high with pizza and bread is a meal that is loaded with fat and carbohydrates, and if that isn’t enough, add a cheeseburger on the side. This is a student’s dinner at DU’s Nelson dining hall.

Sodexo, the company that provides DU and other U.S. campus’ food services, makes sure to provide students with healthy options at each meal such as vegetables and different salad options.

DUET is part of the University of Denver’s sustainability council, and is currently trying to get local organic food on DU’s campus. DUET needs students’ help in getting at least 2,000 surveys in order to accomplish this goal.

Jazzman’s, a Sodexo-run café in DU’s Driscoll student center serves anything from lattes to smoothies. Although grabbing a quick bite from Jazzman’s is convenient between classes, the calorie count in their mochas and muffins can really add up.

Nelson dining hall has an assortment of desserts for students to indulge in after lunch and dinner. According to the American College Health Association’s 2010 national health assessment, 28.3 percent of male and 18.3 percent of female students were considered to be overweight.

Sophomore year at DU, students have the luxury of using the kitchens that are provided in the dorms. Some students use this opportunity to prepare their own healthy meals, or to make the foods they are not getting in the dining halls, such as dinosaur chicken nuggets and frozen dinners.

Allison Van Dusen, staff writer at Forbes.com says, “It makes sense that college freshman, on their own for the first time and faced with an unlimited amount of soda, sugary cereals and ice cream, would fail to eat a proper diet–hence, the infamous freshman 15.”

Students have the option of eating at various restaurants that surround DU’s campus such as Bruegger’s Bagels, where students can socialize and study.

Erin Mullen, a sophomore at DU, orders a sesame chicken salad at Bruegger’s on University Blvd. Even though Bruegger’s offers options such as grilled cheese, paninis and bagel sandwiches, Mullen opts for a healthier option.

New restaurants are constantly popping up around campus, such as Nova, a self-serve yogurt bar that offers a healthier option to ice cream and other sweet treats.

Going out to eat off-campus can become expensive however, which has influenced certain restaurants to promote discounts and coupons for DU students.

At Sidelines Pub, a Sodexo-run restaurant at DU, students can purchase food as part of their meal plans. Sidelines serves traditional pub-style food such as burgers and wings.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in America throughout the past 20 years.

Students believe that Sodexo is finally listening to their suggestions, and are attempting to accommodate their desires. Sidelines Pub for example, now has a make-your-own tossed salad menu that is convenient when students are looking for a healthy option to typical pub-style food.