Eating food that come straight out of the back of a truck is heavenly. Seriously. Korean barbeque quesadillas, classic Los Angeles street tacos, lobster cut rolls and more delicious delicacies are prepared fresh in a mini-kitchen that’s smaller than my dorm room. More affordable than a gourmet restaurant and not as unhealthy as fast food dollar menu items, those concoctions are a local indulgence for this California girl, and I’m more than happy to support a little culinary creativity while getting some serious bang for my buck.

Some things food truck menus are not: responsible for childhood obesity or more dangerous than marijuana. Yes, both have been suggested recently and, if a new piece of legislature is passed, may soon be acknowledged as true.

California Assemblyman William Monning argues that though some food trucks are trendy and social media savvy and profiled on Food Network television shows, most of the ones on the road “are contributing to an epidemic of childhood obesity on California school campuses by supplying youngsters with greasy burgers, sodas and high-calorie ice cream,” according to the LA Times. Therefore, the only logical solution to the great issue of childhood obesity is to ban all food trucks and pushcarts from within 1,500 feet of schools during daytime hours on weekdays. (At this time, marijuana dispensaries must only be 600 feet from schools in California, which insinuates that a hot dog is more deadly to a child than a play date with Mary Jane.)

The problem isn’t just that AB 1678 would triple the current limit of 500 feet in Los Angeles. What concerns me is that in many other cities, this would create a new blackout zone for food trucks — as much as 80% of streets in some places — and may snowball lawmakers nationwide to address these rolling restaurants altogether. College girls would have to unfollow the Twitter accounts of their favorite mobile cupcakeries and forgo the craving for greasy street food after a long night of dancing/burning off a ton of calories. Food trucks aren’t just a California thing or an NYC trademark; they’ve been setting up shop at remote construction sites and office buildings for years and are making their way into smaller towns across the nation. And their healthy ingredients and trendy menus are improving across the board and becoming part of our culture.

Not the part that’s making American kids fat, though. After genetics, lack of exercise and whatever parents are putting on the table for mealtimes, childhood obesity is more likely to be encouraged by the sodas that used to be sold in school vending machines and the unhealthy foods offered in the cafeterias — two changes brought on by the California Food Policy Advocates, the same group who thought up this anti-food truck madness. Since these previous measures have already been taken, it’s more than likely that Monning’s measure will pass in order to “protect the kids,” and shaved ice on wheels on a weekday afternoon will be a thing of the past.

I hate to disappoint you, Monning, but telling all food trucks to park their loads elsewhere isn’t going to slim down the kids of America. In fact, I don’t think it’ll even make a dent in all that eventual cellulite. Because creating a virtual no-go zone for both gourmet and greasy food trucks — as in Carmel, where you hail from — won’t stop a hungry child from spending their money on fattening foods elsewhere. Like in places that don’t have the option of relocating on a whim, as Matt Geller, chief executive of the Southern California Mobile Food Vendors Association, explained:

“This bill won’t do anything to cut children’s access to unhealthy food,” Geller said. “They won’t eat at the food trucks, but they are going to eat at the McDonald’s nearby. They are going to eat at the convenience store, the gas station.”

Besides, why do children even have the option to leave their campuses and buy sugary snacks from food trucks or push carts? Rather than passing a law that prevents everyone who is old enough to understand how to read a nutrition facts label from grabbing a faster and healthier bite during lunch hour, it’d probably be much easier — and more profitable for the economically struggling state — to simply double-check that schools are watching their kids’ activity during recess and after school, and making sure that they aren’t leaving school grounds in general. You know, to buy pot from the store that’s only 600 feet away.

AB 1678 will be up for debate later this month, and Monning says that he’s open to tweaking his proposal to a certain extent. So this is a legitimate excuse to stock up on vegan wraps, fusion burritos and all your favorite treats from those ice cream trucks — just in case.

Should Monning’s legislature be passed in order to protect children’s health? Or is Monning just completely out of his mind?

Ashley is a UC San Diego grad who is holding on way too tightly to a potential career in magazines and goes to Vegas all too often. She’s fascinated with celebrities and strawberry beer and doubles as a pathological texter/emailer/blogger. Feed the addiction with tweets @cashleelee. Thanks in advance.

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Our favorite day: shirtless Friday

Lizzie McGuire is having a boy!

Costumes to avoid at all costs this Halloween

An interview with Vogue’s Preetma Singh

A controversial study led by researchers from Harvard and the University of California, San Diego, concluded that behaviors such as overeating and cigarette smoking could be contagious within close social networks. The researchers came to this conclusion by analyzing data from the Framingham Heart Study, a long-running, detailed survey that examined over 12,000 participants. The Framingham Study included information about body weight and drug use habits, and also indicated which subjects were friends or family members. Thanks to this unique feature, researchers were able to take a look at rates of obesity and other health risks among friend groups.

Dr. Nicholas Christakis and Dr. James Fowler, the leaders of the study, found that if one spouse became obese, the other was 37 percent more likely to become obese as well. If a man became obese, his brother’s risk rose by 40 percent. And the risk was even higher among friends  – the doctors found that someone with an obese friend was between 51 and 171 percent more likely to become obese.

Dr. Christakis and Dr. Fowler provided three possible explanations for their findings. The first explanation was a natural human tendency to choose friends who are similar to ourselves. The second was the fact that friends may be similarly affected by the environments they share. The third explanation, which attracted the most attention, was called contagion – the possibility that a person’s ideas of acceptable weight and portion size might be influenced by how much their friends weigh or eat. This was the explanation that doctors Christakis and Fowler focused on as the cause of obesity.

But not all scientists agree with this theory. A recent paper attacked the findings of doctors Christakis and Fowler, saying that their study contained serious statistical errors. Other doctors don’t doubt the integrity of the study, but say that it is impossible to prove that contagion was the cause of high rates of obesity among friends and families. A more recent study that focused specifically on women did find that social relationships had an influence on bodyweight, but the influence was very small. The researchers were also unable to pinpoint one specific explanation for their findings.

So, the verdict is mixed: problems like obesity may or may not spread among friends. But even if behaviors like overeating and smoking aren’t contagious, the question of friends and behavior is an interesting one for college students. When we go away to college and have to make new friends, do they influence our behavior? Do we change and become more like our new friends? Or do we choose friends who are more like us to begin with? What do you think?

But just because some things never go right, there is one thing in your life that is 100% up to you: your health.

Oftentimes, life feels so out of your control that you may begin to give up, which usually ends with a pint of ice cream, binge eating your way through the fridge or forgoing the gym altogether in favor of trashy reality TV in bed. Well, I am here to tell you to STOP. Just because something else didn’t work out the way you wanted it to does not mean you should let your diet, body and health go out the window as well.

Easier said than done, I know, but next time you’re thinking of kicking your feet up with a large pizza instead of going for a jog, run a few of these motivating factors through that head of yours. Better yet, print this out and tape it on your mini-fridge. Bye bye, excuses!

1. Make him do a double take.
They say success is the best revenge, especially when it comes to that one guy. You have to admit that nothing will feel better than walking by him looking fitter than fit. OK, so you shouldn’t be working out for anyone else but yourself, but trust me on this: seeing that look of pain and regret on his face (or a look of awe and desire on someone else’s) is 110% all about you.

2. Stay in shape.
Duh, the whole point of exercising is to stay in shape, but it couldn’t be more important than in college. To say we don’t lead the healthiest lives is like saying that Pauly D sorta likes hair gel. Read: biggest understatement of the year. Between the snacking, the drinking, the late nights, etc., we need to get the exercise in whenever we can to combat our poor choices and stay as fit and healthy as possible. That could be something as easy as taking the stairs wherever you go (which, you’ll see, isn’t quite as easy for everyone) or hopping on a Spin bike a few days a week.

3. Fitting into your skinny jeans.
Regardless of our body shape, nothing feels better than effortlessly pulling up that denim and zipping it up. Oh what was that? It feels a little loose? NICE.

4. You don’t want to acquire any of the health related risks that come with obesity.
It’s already a lot of work to try to get an appointment with the doc, but trying to schedule follow ups because of Type 2 Diabetes doesn’t exactly make you feel in control of your life. If you can prevent any health problems by simply watching your diet and being active every day, then do it. I mean, why wouldn’t you? Think of it like this: if you can find an hour to Facebook stalk your crush, then you can find an hour to run/bike/gym. (And really, with iPhones and Droids and Blackberries, you can FB stalk him FROM the gym.)

5. To see yourself smiling back
Sure, all of these superficial things are great, but the best feeling in the world is looking at your reflection in the mirror and being happy. Once you can look at yourself and think, “Wow, I love the way I look and feel,” then others will look at you and think the same way. You show off to the world what you feel in your heart and it all starts with good health, a balanced lifestyle and a positive attitude.

There are so many things that could go wrong in a day. You could wake up 3 hours late for class and miss a midterm or the heel of your favorite pumps could break off. (Editor’s Note: Or you could go out for the night and somehow lose one pump on the way home….) One thing that you can always be in control of is the food you put in your body and the workout regimen you follow. Our bodies are temples so we have to remember, no matter what, to treat them with the respect they deserve.

Even when nothing else is going our way.

Tell me, CollegeCandy readers: what gets you motivated?

The beginning of another school year sneaked up on us, along with an opportunity to meet new people, join new clubs and do better in our classes (okay well I like to tell myself this, at least).  Unfortunately, it’s also the perfect opportunity to gain weight via late night pizza runs and all you can eat dining halls.

Thankfully, for those of you reading this, I have a suggestion, a small tweak really, that might just save you from packing on the pounds.  You ready for it? Like, really, really ready?

OK, here goes: only drink water (and if you must, the occasional coffee).

No soda, no calorie-laden smoothies, fruit juices, or any liquid edible substance with calories.  You would be surprised how much those added calories from beverages add up!

My advice comes from some pretty gosh darn daunting facts about our country of the overweight and obese. Scarily, as I type this, statistics show that thirty-five percent of Americans are medically obese and two thirds of them are overweight.  Also true? Twenty-five percent of our daily calories come from liquids.  This means that calories coming from drinks may play more of a role in our number on the scale than calories coming from foods.  The folks at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have actually studied and found just that.  They published a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that states that the quickest and most reliable way to lose weight is to cut down on liquid calorie consumption.

Even beverages that appear to be healthy may contribute to weight gain and poor health.  The deceptively named, Vitaminwater, sold on many campuses, is anything but healthy. Despite being advertised as a product equipped to induce a “healthy state of physical and mental well-being,” it’s pretty much just sugar water, to which a penny’s worth of synthetic vitamins have been added.  Well, that and thirty-three grams of added sugar per bottle.  Seems like more of a soft drink than a healthy beverage to me.

So here’s my advice: save yourself money, calories, and unwanted pounds by drinking some good old-fashioned water.  If you must spice it up, add some lemon juice and a small amount of honey or maple syrup.  Even drinking one-half fruit juice, one-half regular or carbonated water will save you some pound-packing sugar. Also, relying on the paltry supply of vitamins in a drink like Vitaminwater for your nutrients is not a wise idea.  A much better way to get your vitamins and minerals is to eat real foods and load up on plenty of fruits and vegetables.  Oh, and don’t forget to read those labels!  Thirty-three grams of sugar in Vitaminwater per serving? Whoa, no thank you.

Got something awesome everyone needs to know about? A really great local band? An awesome website? A product that truly changed your life? A great beauty product?! Email your “The Know” ideas to Jill@collegecandy.com or tweet me and I’ll pass them along to everyone right here, every week. Make your kindergarten teacher proud and share!

You know that odd period of time Friday night when you’re done with class, too tired to workout but not quite ready to go out and nothing, I mean NOTHING is on TV? Unless you want to watch the same episode of Say Yes to the Dress for, like, the 12th time all the while thinking (just like you did the first time you saw this very episode), “Why am I watching this crap? There goes an hour and a little bit of dignity that I will never get back.”

Well, guess what? That’s all about to change. There’s a new reality show in town, peeps, and this time it’s actually good. I’m not talking so-bad-it’s-oh-so-good like Jersey Shore and all it’s fist pumping glory (as thankful as I am that I’ve learned how to beat the beat); I’m talking eye-opening, thought provoking, I-can’t-believe-this-is-the-country-we-live-in good, and it’s starting this Friday.

Executive produced by none other than the always perfectly coiffed Ryan Seacrest (seriously does the man EVER sleep?), Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution is a show we all need to watch. Taking place in Huntington, West Virginia – ranked as the fattest city in our nation – Famous chef, Jamie Oliver settles in and spends months trying to change the way America’s children are fed in school.

OK, so it doesn’t sound all that exciting, but stay with me.

After seeing the sneak preview on Sunday, I was enraged at the CRAP we are feeding kids (think pizza and chocolate milk at 7am), the red tape around trying to change the system and how FAT they are. I’m talking about fat as in the fat kid you refer to when you make the joke “like a fat kid loves cake,” except this time it’s like 12 cakes, a giant scoop of ice-cream and a corndog. (Yes, apparently, people eat those!) And they’re being taught to eat like this.

By their schools.
Yup.

Don’t think a show about elementary school lunches affects you? Think again. Have you looked inside your college dorm’s caf lately? I’m pretty sure the only “healthy” thing in that place is the fro-yo machine. And, btdubs, I’m pretty sure the health quotient goes out the window when it’s 1/4 yogurt and 3/4 Oreos and sprinkles (i.e. the freshman year diet of a certain someone who happens to be writing this article). The truth is, while Jamie Oliver is uncovering the unhealthy foods in our middle schools, the problem is everywhere, and we all have to be on board if we want to see changes.

If anything, it’s worth watching to see Jamie’s passion for the project – it’s incredibly inspiring. And by that I mean it’s worth watching because who knew a man telling people they are large and in charge could be so damn sexy? That man can cook me up some steamed veggies any time.

Either way, ‘Food Revolution’ is one show to be in The Know about. Quality.

Bonus points: If you’re trying to curb your late night eating habit this show couldn’t air at a better time! Friday right before you hit the bars – it’s like having your mom standing over you watching you eat pizza and french fries at 2am chanting, “First stop- your thighs!”

The official two hour series premiere event is this Friday at 8/7c on ABC, with episode two airing at 9/8c.

Sound rude? Yeah.
Are they right? Maybe.

But the real question is: does a university have the right to tell students that they have to lose weight?

As of now, Lincoln University is requiring all students with a BMI of 30 or more (which is considered obese) to enroll in a physical education course that meets three hours a week. Receiving a diploma will be contingent on them completing this course.

In other words, you may ace every course you take, but if you can’t walk up a flight of stairs to get to the classroom, you won’t be receiving a diploma come graduation time.

Some students find it unfair that they are being targeted because of their weight, claiming they came to college to get an education, which has absolutely nothing to do with their body mass index. On the flip side, the University claims that they are committed to aiding students in “achieving and maximizing students life goals” and that obesity is a factor that hinders this process.

On one hand the school is helping students adopt a healthy lifestyle (and who wouldn’t want to get credit for working out? Goodbye, gym membership!), but at the same time, is it the university’s job to force students to adopt a certain lifestyle or yank their degree?

What do you think?

But how can we convince people to live more active lives when we’re constantly bombarded with inventions and machines that make it so easy to do everything without doing anything? Perhaps we should be taking some tips from the Swedish. They’ve come up with a brilliant plan to get people to get off their lazy asses and onto the stairs.

By making them fun.

How cool is that? Just imagine how much more fun your life would be if they installed this in your city. You’d be like Beethoven…with a great ass.

Scientists these days must be bored out of their minds, because many of the health studies that have been cropping up lately are painfully uninteresting. The results are so obvious that they might as well skip the experiment and just use their common sense. These “duh” stories really make you question the direction in which science is headed. Don’t these scientists have more important (and more shocking) discoveries to make?

Obese Americans Spend Far More on Health Care
The New York Times
According to a recent study, obese Americans spend 42% more on health care than Americans of normal weight. Although this is a serious issue, did we really need a formal study to tell us this? Who needs one to see that obesity (and the many health problems that result from it) is costly?

As Speed Limits Rise, So Do Death Tolls
The New York Times
A study of highway fatality rates has found that road deaths increased 3% after 1995, following the federal government’s repeal of the 55 mile-per-hour speed limit. Higher speed limits = more highway fatalities? I never would’ve imagined that.

Prenuptial Cohabiting Can Spoil Marriage
LiveScience.com
This one is a bit subtler, but still obvious nonetheless: couples who live together before marriage are more likely to get divorced than those couples that don’t shack up together until marriage. It’s a no-brainer, really. The more time you spend with someone (and their disgusting living habits), the more that person gets on your nerves. Anyone who has endured summer camps and college roommates can attest to that.

Tanning beds can be as deadly as arsenic
MSNBC.com
According to this study, tanning beds now definitely cause cancer. Breaking news: Prom-bound teen girls and dudes from the Jersey shore are rioting outside of Hollywood Tans everywhere.

Does Mom’s drinking harm breastfed babies?
LiveScience.com
I really don’t know. Anyone want to test this out?

Check out the latest headlines about that unique body of yours:

- My morning cup (or 7) of Joe has been my favorite workout buddy for a long time. Not only does it give me energy, but new research proves that it lessens the pain that comes after an intense workout! Caffeine blocks the brain and spinal cord from processing the biochemical adenosine, preventing pain during and after your spin on the stationary bike. You don’t need to drink as much caffeine as I do (shoot…I shouldn’t be drinking as much caffeine as I do!) to feel the benefits. A modest 2 cup serving of java will do the trick. Just don’t go overboard; if you’re heart rate is too high, working out may be more difficult than necessary.

- Still haven’t rid yourself of the Winter blues? Chase away that depression by packing a healthy lunch! Research shows that eating foods with the amino acid tryptophan raises you body’s serotonin levels, battling depression. To pack a brown bag full of this “happy hormone,” toss in a banana, turkey sandwich and some cottage cheese. These three foods are known to have the highest levels of tryptophan. If you’re on the go and feeling low, pick up a delicious Strawberry Nirvana from Jamba Juice. This smoothie is crammed with bananas and other fruit and a sixteen-ounce serving is only 170 calories…now that’s sweet! And if you’re swinging by a coffee shop for your caffeine fix, grab yourself a serving of low-fat cottage cheese to flip that frown upside down.

- Researchers are starting to think that you may follow in your mama’s virginity footsteps. Did she submit her V-Card early on? Your DNA may reveal that you will too! Although societal and cultural aspects play a larger part in determining when you’ll have your first time, your genes can be up to a third of the reason why you will hit the sheets at a certain age. This is most likely attributed to the presence of intense levels of the risk-taking, impulsive DRD4 gene. Ask your mom about her early escapades to see if the apple really doesn’t fall too far from the tree. (That is, if you really want to hear the answer…)

- Do you look up to the healthy lifestyles of those celery-chomping Vegetarians? Well, maybe you shouldn’t envy them so much. Studies show that adolescents and young adults who currently (or have in the past) follow a vegetarian diet are more likely to suffer from eating disorders. Veg-Heads have less control when it comes to binge eating and are more apt to engage in dangerous weight control behaviors such as purging, diet pill popping and abusing laxatives and diuretics. Although a vegetarian diet lessens the risk of obesity, is it really worth the possibly deadly impulses?

Scientists and researchers keep discovering better ways to help our health, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take advantage of the information we have today! While we wait for next week’s brilliant discoveries, be sure to have a coffee with your workout, a banana with your lunch, a birds and the bees talk with your mama and a healthy view on Vegetarianism.