College Weight Gain: The Dreaded Freshmen 15

Most college students know about the Freshmen 15, the dreaded fifteen pounds that college students gain during their first year of college. Is it a real or are the rumors only rumors. Well, on average students gain "three to ten pounds during their first two years of college" (Hirsch). Doctors are more worried about the long term effects of the weight gained by students in college, which if continued can lead to serious physical problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, breathlessness, joint problems, obesity, and certain cancers. Most of the weight gained by students is within their first semester of their college career (Hirsch).

There are several causes to this unprecedented weight gain such as: irresponsible diet choices, irregular exercising habits, and alcohol consumption as well as stress, and a sense of freedom (Preidt). Elisabetta Politi, nutrition director at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center said "many freshmen don't know how to select or make healthy meals, and stress from heavy class loads and the struggle to achieve good grades can make them eat food at the wrong time" (Preidt). Overeating from stress, especially during exam periods is also a common occurrence among students.

Let's face it, you don't always have time to carve out of your busy schedule to hit the gym, and usually college students have to eat what they are given but these choices are the top reasons for gaining weight. According to Politi, alcohol is present at most college functions which lowers the toleration for certain fatty foods, which added to the all ready present calories in alcohol doubles the weight gain. She also noted that students who are active in high school become inactive or "couch potatoes" in college, which is detrimental to their metabolism and can also lead to weight gain (Preidt).

There are ways to avoid gaining the "Freshmen 15" such as avoid eating when stressed, get enough sleep, exercise, and eat the daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables. The average student should also avoid eating late at night and try to eat at the regularly scheduled meal times. Another suggestion is to quit smoking. Students who smoke find it much harder to walk across campus to class, not to mention exercising on a regular basis, so quit smoking to promote a healthier attitude toward exercising (Hirsch). Sleeping is one of the most important factors to a healthy lifestyle. To get the most out of your sleep you should avoid drinking anything with caffeine in it at least four hours before retiring for the night. Also, get on a regular sleep schedule can help maximize your sleep getting your body used to sleeping at a certain time. The key to not gaining the Freshmen 15 or losing the all ready gained pounds is a healthier lifestyle, which only takes getting used to. So, try it out.

Works Cited

Hirsch, Larissa, M.D. 2007. "Beating the Freshmen 15". KidsHealth.com.

Preidt, Robert. 2008. "Freshmen Weight gain has Many Culprits." ScoutNews LLC.