This webpage is dedicated to some of the issues that are affecting young women in this day and age. These are the same issues that have a potential to affect my life as well, being a 21 year old college student myself. It is my intent to answer some questions and to also draw attention to some issues that have been overlooked.

Eating healthy on campus can be challenging due to financial and time constraints. But, good nutrition can be practiced if a little thought and a small amount of knowledge are involved.

The benefits of exercise can be the subject of a whole page itself. Young women who exercise reduce stress, manage weight and increase bone density. Again, time and financial constraints can be obstacles, but exercise can come in many forms.

Unfortunately, exercise and nutrition can become too much of a focus in the lives of young women.In 1988, Mintz and Betz reported that 61% of undergraduate women in America had some form of an eating behavior problem. The Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention Group estimates that 5 - 7% of the 12 million undergraduates have an eating disorder. The appearance-oriented and competitive environment found on college campuses has been identified as an exacerbation of eating disorders.

One of the groups highest at risk for contracting a STD are college students. Often, embaressment and miseducation lead to the rapid spread of these diseases on campuses. In addition, many of the warning signs can go undetected.

It has been estimated that 19 million Americans suffer from depression and many (two-thirds) are not even aware of it. Women are twice as likely to have a bout of depression than men are. Women 18 -35 have the highest rates of depression. Depression can often be overlooked as the byproduct of a stressful semester or of the transition to college.

Across America, over 5 million women have been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder. There are no definite symptoms that are specific indicators of a thyroid disorder, making it a very hard disease to diagnose. If left untreated, a thyroid disorder can eventually lead to death.

Melanoma is the most prevalent form of cancer found in women in their mid-twenties and the second most prevalent form of cancer found in women in their early thirties. It is expected that in this year alone, 48,000 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed. Melanoma can be prevented with a few precautionary measures are taken.

Osteoporosis is typically considered a disease that effects women after menopause. What isn't readily know is that bone-density doesn't increase after the mid-thirties. Therefore, all bone-building must be done in the twenties and early thirties. Actions taken now will have a direct effect on the possible development of osteoporosis later on in life.