We’ve all heard of it. We dreaded it all summer. “The Freshman 15”. The idea that every freshman will gain 15 pounds when going away for their first year of college. Of course, it’s easy to gain a little weight when you’re away from home for the first time; it’s hard to find time to exercise while trying to adjust to a new schedule, we are not eating home cooked meals anymore and are constantly eating out, our schoolwork is more time consuming, and maybe some are not playing sports anymore that they used to in high school. It all adds up to a probable chance of gaining some weight, which is completely normal. But does that mean the freshman 15 is real, or is it just a myth or over exaggeration?
One article says that it is not entirely true. “Recent studies suggest that while college students (both male and female) do gain weight during their first year at school, it’s more to the tune of five pounds rather than fifteen”. In other words, it is expected and very common for freshmen to gain weight and college, but the “freshman 15” does not necessarily exist. A study done at Ohio State (no) showed that the average amount of weight gained for freshmen is about three pounds. Hardly any students actually gained 15 pounds or more, and a significant amount even lost weight.
That is not to say that gaining weight in college is a complete myth, because most do. It just means that the idea of the freshman 15 is basically an exaggeration. Constant access to fast food and dining halls, excessive drinking, and poor habits all contribute to the phenomenon. However, significant and unhealthy weight gain can be avoided. Exercising and eating healthy are two methods that never fail. It also helps to walk to classes instead of taking the bus or driving every single day. If it is nice out, walking is always a good opportunity for exercise. It all depends on the individual and how everyone handles their college experience, but it is probably a relief to know that the freshman 15 is not completely true.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/06/freshman-15-weight-gain_n_3860832.html
The article says that the study done at Ohio State used results from 7,418 people during their time at college, and 3 pounds was the average amount of weight gained. I would trust the results from the study because I think surveying over 7,000 people is a substantial amount and large enough to yield significant results. However, it doesn’t clarify when the study was done other than saying it was recent and the article was posted in September 2013. So it is not clear if time plays a role in how much weight people gain, because as you said in 2001 it was called the “Freshman 10”, and now it is only three. Maybe as the years go by the numbers will continue to go down.
A colleague of mine tells me that when she joined the faculty in 2001, it was called the Freshman 10….
How good are the data showing it’s the Freshman 5 (or 3)?