In the next week or two, thousands of young people will leave home for their first year in college. Within a few months they will acquire knowledge, new friends, greater maturity, and...extra pounds.
"The Freshman Fifteen," as college weight gain has long been called, is probably an exaggeration. A 2006 Canadian study found that actual weight gain in college is closer to 5 to10 pounds. Still, if you or your son or daughter is going off to college this fall, it is worth reviewing the causes of freshman weight gain and learning how to avoid added pounds, which, for many, are the beginnings of obesity in adulthood.
The main causes of weight gain in college are the same as the causes of overweight and obesity in 60% of American adults: too many calories and too little exercise. But there are certain risk factors for weight gain to which college students are especially prone:
- Excess alcohol consumption, which is common among college students, makes people more likely to overeat - and alcohol itself is metabolized to fat.
- Decreased sleep may contribute to the consumption of extra meals - especially late at night - and fatigue may drive overeating.
- Cafeteria food, though more healthful in recent years, is still heavy on the starches, with desserts, sugary soft drinks, and unlimited portions available at every meal.
- College students are less likely than high school students to participate in organized sports.
Though it is not realistic to suggest that college freshman avoid these risk factors entirely (early bedtimes, no midnight pizza or beer, daily trips to the gym...seriously?), just being aware of them and setting some reasonable goals may be helpful. Here are a few possibilities:
- Participate in at least some social activities that do not revolve around alcohol.
- Try to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep most nights and when you do stay up late consider planning - at least some nights - a healthy late night meal (sandwich, fruit and cheese, etc) instead of having a spontaneous junk food binge every night.
- In the cafeteria look for lean protein, salads, fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. The instant mashed potatoes, lime Jell-o with Reddi-Whip, and breaded, deep fried "mystery meat" aren't that great, anyway. And don't stash junk food in your dorm room.
- If you aren't a varsity college athlete, try club or intramural sports or take up a new "adult" sport like tennis or yoga-something you can do for life.
Did you gain weight in college? What advice would you give this year's freshmen?
Dr. Suzanne Koven practices internal medicine with a special interest in weight issues at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and teaches at Harvard Medical School.
Exercise: A program you can live with
Hundreds of studies conducted over the past 50 years show that exercise helps you feel better and live longer. Exercise: A program you can live with answers many important questions about physical activity, from how your body changes through exercise to what diseases it helps prevent. It will also help guide you through starting and maintaining an exercise program that suits your abilities and lifestyle. Throughout, you'll find advice on being a savvy consumer when it comes to fitness products, as well as useful tools and tips designed to help make exercise work for you.
Do you want to maintain a healthy weight? Connect with others with similar health concerns and issues. Click here to join the group.
This content is not intended to substitute for personalized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from your healthcare provider. Read our full disclaimer.
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Comments: 7
The menu plans have changed a lot since then, but I would suggest that any freshman that is a picky eater or vegetarian really investigate what is going to be available to you if you go with a meal plan in the dorms.
Also, parents, you know your kids. Don't think that they are suddenly going to change their eating habits just because you have already paid for those meal plans. If they already live on fast food and Starbuck's, they aren't likely to change.
My step daughter and her cousin go to Cal Poly SLO. Her cousin lived in the dorms last year and seldom ever ate on campus. At the end of every quarter, she had to spend the balance of what was left in her meal plan account and our house would get inundated with snacks and stuff from the campus store. (none of it healthy and usually full of fat and sugar) Seriously, she had a couple of hundred dollars left the last week of each quarter and she was not the only student in the same boat.
I've always had a high metabolism anyway, so the freshman fifteen never materialized.
This year I'm trying to do better and am putting less on my plate. One of the things that has really helped not only with maintaining weight, but with making me feel better in general has been the switch from cafeteria food to "normal" food. The cafeteria on campus gets worse every year -- they just replaced the wraps station with a stir-fry station. Eating healthy is expensive and usually doesn't fit on the meal plan. Now I can eat lots of raw fruits and vegetables and I have more control over the portion size and the proportion of veggies to carbohydrates to protein in my meals. I managed to lose some weight over the summer with all the bike riding I did and thus far its staying off.
So I guess my advice would be to exercise, try to eat balanced meals, and don't overextend yourself. Also, watch out for your emotional and psychological health. They can affect not only your weight but your academic performance and social life as well. Most campuses offer counseling services to students for free -- take advantage of them.