There are many legends about freshman year of college, but none so prevalent as the infamous Freshman Fifteen. Unlimited dining hall food, late night pizza and long hours at the library, along with a certain high-calorie beverage many freshmen begin to consume – these are just a few of the opportunities college provides for unhealthy living habits. Such a lifestyle is often associated with weight gain during freshman year. But is there any truth to the myth?
Research suggests that there might not be much validity to the legend. In a 2011 study published in Social Science Quarterly, researchers found that freshmen gained an average of 2.5-3.5 pounds their first year. This weight gain continues steadily during the average student’s college career. Compared to adolescents the same age living at home, students living away at college only gained about a half pound more.
This is good news for you, Class of 2017! However, that doesn’t mean you can come to Northwestern and gorge on pizza and burgers every day for lunch. Justin Heaton, Northwestern’s campus dietitian, says it is all up to the student to make healthy choices. There are both healthy and unhealthy options at every dining hall, and the all-you-can-eat option, coupled with the social aspect of eating, can cause many students to overeat at meals. The biggest reasons for weight gain are freedom over food choices, less exercise, alcohol and changing sleep cycles – especially if this means less sleep than you got in high school.
"The nation as a whole is getting heavier, especially over the last ten years. It's starting at a younger age, and a lot of it is the food we're eating. Portions at restaurants are huge, they are usually for three to four people. So it doesn't surprise me that the trends are generally the same in college," Heaton said.
Even though poor eating habits are common around the country and not just unique to college, a college environment provides even greater opportunity for bad health habits.
“I find it much harder to eat healthily at school than at home. My schedule from high school has shifted so that I stay up much later in college,” Weinberg freshman Sophia Falmagne said. “On top of this, for some reason colleges have an obsession with free, unhealthy, late-night food.”
Heaton also mentioned that there are some students who will indeed gain at least fifteen pounds their first year in college. Students who are most likely to gain weight are those who were on a varsity sport in high school and become much more sedentary in college. However, their food intake remains the same. Other students especially at risk for weight gain are students who were under dietary restrictions at home and do not know how to portion their meals once given free reign.
But for those of you who are still worried about gaining those dreaded fifteen pounds (or if you’re just a college student looking to lose some weight), there is hope. Heaton’s advice is logical: utilize the gyms on campus, join a sports team, run or find some other way to stay active. He also emphasizes the importance of breakfast, saying that students are less likely to eat more throughout the day if they eat a meal in the morning. More specifically, think about cutting out sodas and juices so your calories do not come from beverages.
“I try to avoid greasy, carb-heavy foods that will not satisfy my hunger for long, and I usually make sure that at least half my plate is fruit and vegetables. It is very possible to eat healthy here though, and the dining halls do a reasonably good job of providing nutritious food,” Falmagne added. “It just depends on how much you care.”