Studies show students gain weight in college

By Chelsea Lange | Published March 1, 2018

Attending college is a dream to most teenage students after graduating from high school. Of course, students look forward to the parties and meeting new people, but one thing they don’t look forward to is the dreaded “freshman 15?”

The freshman 15 refers to when a freshman student gains weight after being in their first year of college. Many have perceived it as a myth, but to some college freshman it truly can happen.

In a Health Magazine article titled, “70% of Students Gain Weight During College: Study,” a study by Auburn University researchers found that in 2012, almost 70 percent of graduating seniors had gained from a range of 12 to 37 pounds while in college.

College freshman are so busy with late night studying or even late night partying that can then cause them to eat during the late hours of the night. But most students have also been in the position where they just crave those nacho cheese Doritos or a big mac from their local 24 hour McDonald’s drive thru. Students do not seem to realize how those late night meals can affect them when they reach the big 3-0. As soon as those greasy meals hit their body they can say goodbye to those skinny jeans and hello to high cholesterol.

Dr. Gurmit Saluja, a pediatrician at Vernon Pediatric and Family Care in Vernon, NJ, stated how a long-term path of unhealthy eating can lead to obesity and even type 2 diabetes.

“If young students don’t care for their diet and physical activity in college they then will have a numerous amount of health problems,” Saulja said.

He continues by stating, “they might not be gaining extra pounds right away but they will catch up to them as soon as they get older.”

He also said that he has had patients of his own who have experienced that freshman 15 weight gain in their first year.

“They might not have gained exactly 15 pounds but they did gain a significant amount in a short period of time, but what truly caused that weight gain was stress,” the doctor added.

Kean University student, Adriana Moran, 22, was one of those thousands of college freshman in the United States that fell into the freshman 15 category. She recalled how she was never a thin girl when she was younger because most of her body mass was pure muscle.

“When I was in elementary school and in high school I was constantly playing sports,” she stated. “I played lacrosse and soccer at school as well on traveling teams. I was always on the go.”

But then her “fit lifestyle” came to a halt when she started college. “I became so overwhelmed with stress when exams and 10 page papers all started to approach,” she said. “It then caused me to binge eat at late hours of the night and would never go to the gym. I would tell myself that I didn’t have time but I definitely did.”

Now Moran, who was a college senior when interviewed last spring, became one of the few that was able to get rid of those extra pounds when she became physically active again.

According to the academic journal, Changes in Body Weight and Fat Mass of Men and Women in the First Year of College: A Study of the “Freshman 15,” students make some behavioral changes during their freshman year which would cause them to become lazy because they do not increase their physical activity. A study was conducted by Rutgers University in Fall 2016 of Rutgers University students who volunteered to have their weight, height, and body fat mass taken. Although the study states that students, as an average, gained almost seven pounds and not 15, after being measured again in the spring semester, it shows that students did experience a weight gain in their first year.

Young college students need to remind themselves that there are plenty of simple and easy steps to avoiding the freshman 15. Drinking plenty of water as well as sleeping at least 8 full hours, can help in getting on the right track to feeling healthy again.

You will begin to have more energy which then will help any student with choosing healthier options. It’s as simple as swapping those fried French fries for some baked sweet potato fries, which will keep you with a full stomach for longer. You will also get a great amount of fiber and vitamins into your system.

Rather than getting a boring lettuce salad, students can opt for a protein bowl, which is so simple to make by just loading the bowl with grilled chicken, black beans, brown rice, and avocado; a flavorful lunch or dinner is ready right away.

To find some more health tips on body image or fitness, check out www.seventeen. com/health. Remember college freshmen, you can avoid the freshman 15 altogether just by staying focused. You will feel both mentally and physically strong, which will lead to a healthy, happy college year.

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