Tailgating, Mardi Gras and crawfish boils are all staples of Louisiana culture.But while the Cajun cuisine may be good, taste doesn’t mean it’s good for you.Louisiana is ranked as the eighth fattest state with the adult obesity rate at 28.9 percent, according to the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s July 2009 report titled “F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2009.””In terms of nutrition and food, certainly a lot of the cuisine traditional in Louisiana tends to be high in fat, and in the South, a lot of the traditions in our culture involves food and eating,” said Julie Hupperich, Student Health Center associate director and Wellness Education director. “Food has always been a part of the celebration in the South, which is an endearing part of our culture.”Hupperich said the way Louisiana cuisine is prepared makes it unhealthy.”Putting bacon, fat or lard on our vegetables [is unhealthy],” she said. “If you’re making gumbo, your base is high in fat, in addition to the sticks of butter.”Randy Roth, biological sciences sophomore, said he never thinks about how his food is prepared when he eats out, and he doesn’t think Louisiana cuisine is fattening.David Heidke, LSU Dining and Concessions director, said the University’s dining staff has avoided unhealthy components like lard or fat in food preparation for many years.”Any oils we use are trans-fat free,” Heidke said. “Our vegetables are … sautéed with oil, but most of the time, they are steamed. We use all fresh vegetables as much as possible. We have lots of baked items.”Heidke said LSU Dining does prepare fried foods, pizza and other less healthy options, and he said it’s up to the students to choose what they want to eat.”The real solution to controlling our weight is through a balanced diet,” he said. “It’s just a matter of eating the foods we like in the right quantities.”Mississippi topped the list for the fifth year in a row with an adult obesity rate of 32.5 percent. Eight of the 10 states with the highest percentage of obese adults are in the South, according to the report. Colorado had the lowest adult obesity rate at 18.9 percent.The American College Health Association said 13.4 percent of LSU is obese, with a body mass index higher than 30.Hupperich said students are always surprised by the proper portion sizes they should be eating.”When you show people what a portion of rice is, and when you look at the amount they’ve grown up with, six to eight servings are considered one serving with red beans and rice,” she said.Heidke said all of the LSU Dining staff is trained to provide appropriate portion sizes at the different locations. He said there is a healthy option at every LSU Dining location on campus.Hupperich said it is important for Louisianans to take individual responsibility about food and exercise choices.Tiffany Compagno, kinesiology senior, blamed the lack of physical activity for the obesity rates in Louisiana instead of the food.”Our culture is music, food and good times,” Compagno said. “We’re a ‘live to eat’ rather than an ‘eat to live’ society.”—–Contact Mary Walker Baus at [email protected]