Nov 02, 2014 12:36 PM EST By J Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

College students in the United States do better than their counterparts in the United Kingdom when it comes to health.

Researchers from American University found that American college students are more physically active, have a healthier diet and smoke less than students in the United Kingdom.

"Among U.S. students, we see greater consumption of fruits and vegetables, more participation in organized sports, and less smoking," Stacey Snelling, a lead author of the study, said in a statement. "Participation in organized sports and exercise could reflect the more formal focus on physical activity at the college level that we have in the U.S. The study shows that certain policies and laws in the U.S. are making an impact, particularly with regard to smoke-free campuses."

When it comes to smoking, more than twice as many college students in the United Kingdom identified as smokers -- 39 percent compared with 16 percent in the U.S. According to the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation, Tobacco- and smoke-free campuses are a growing trend in the United States. There are 1,478 smoke-free campuses. Of these, 976 are 100 percent tobacco-free, and 292 prohibit the use of e-cigarettes anywhere on campus.

For the study, researchers examined data from a sample of self-reported health behaviors of university students in the United States and the United Kingdom. Data came from the American College Health Association, which collects survey information on student health behaviors, such as tobacco use, weight, nutrition and exercise, campus safety, and mental and physical health. Data was gathered in the United Kingdom using a survey with slight word changes in British English.

Regarding fruit and vegetable consumption, college dorm policies in the United States are having an impact, they found. Residence hall policies encourage nutritionally balanced meals, healthy eating and meal plans, for example. In contrast, students in England are more likely to prepare their own food, making eating healthy less convenient or more costly. Students in the United Kingdom ate 1.5 fruits or vegetables per day compared with American students who ate 3.5, the study found.

The sampling revealed similar findings for the numbers of students who consume alcohol and those with concerns about weight. More than half of students in both countries said they had exercised to lose weight in the last 30 days.

"Alcohol consumption remains a challenge for colleges and universities in both countries and continues to need addressing," Snelling said. "The focus on weight is a reminder of the challenge in educating students that health is about fitness and nutrition and less about a number on a scale."

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