Does College Encourage Students to Gain Weight?
When it comes to gaining weight in college, there's good news and there's bad news. Good news first: the dreaded "Freshman 15" (if anyone hasn't heard of it, it's the supposed 15 pounds that all incoming freshmen gain during their first year) is exaggerated, according to a new study at Rutgers' Cook College.
Most college students do not, in fact, gain 15 pounds during their first year (college freshmen-to-be, don't breathe a sigh of relief just yet). But -- and here's the bad news -- they do gain weight.
College Freshmen Gain About 7 Pounds
Of the 67 students weighed for the study (once in the fall and again in the spring), three-quarters had gained weight by the spring. On average, they gained seven pounds each -- which can happen from eating just 112 extra calories a day.
You can be the final judge of this question, but the researchers believed it might. They mentioned a number of things that might be causing you to gradually pack on pounds, such as:
Many students no longer participate in organized sports
Students have less free time than in high school (meaning less time to be active)
Students may not make exercise/physical activity a priority
Buffet-style cafeterias may encourage you to eat more than "a la carte"-style menus
Students may be drinking more alcohol , which adds a lot of extra calories
Avoiding the College Weight Gain Trap
Left unchecked, a seven-pound per year weight gain could turn into a 27-pound gain by the end of your college career -- hardly the graduation present any of us are looking for.
It's easy to gain weight gradually because relatively small changes in your activity levels or food/drink intake can add up over time. But this works both ways (small changes can help you lose weight, too!). Here are some tips to ensure that you maintain a healthy weight -- even when your environment may be encouraging you to go in the other direction.
(And, remember, weight gain is more than an aesthetic issue. If you were to gain nearly 30 pounds over four years, it could increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and more.)
Get together with friends for "exercise night" (or morning, or afternoon) a few times a week. Do whatever makes you happy: jog, dance, rollerblade, kickboxing -- and enjoy being active.
Make small changes in your diet. Choose water instead of soda or juice, fruit instead of ice cream or cake, salad instead of fries or chips. You can also try replacing a meal with Green Latte or Beyond Berry , which are both packed with nutrients to keep you going, but don't have a lot of calories.
Walk to your classes instead of taking a bus.
Avoid the buffet-style cafeteria at least a few times a week. A fun idea is to get together a group of about four friends. Each person cooks a meal for the group one night a week. Not only do you get four home-cooked meals a week, but you get to sample all the different dishes that you and your friends create!
Join an intramural sports team. Most campuses have something for everyone, from track and field to Frisbee golf. If you can't find something you like, start an intramural team of your own!
8. You're a stickler for safety: Unlike some supplements on the market, you can rest assured that STUDENT FORMULATMproducts are safe, proven & effective.
9. You'll only settle for the best: Our team of advisors and manufacturers has been in the natural health industry for over 48 years.
10. You want a name and a product you can trust: At the Nutritional Institute our team has developed over 100 products, and we're the first on the market with a complete product line formulated specifically for college students of all ages.
When it comes to gaining weight in college, there's good news and there's bad news. Good news first: the dreaded "Freshman 15" (if anyone hasn't heard of it, it's the supposed 15 pounds that all incoming freshmen gain during their first year) is exaggerated, according to a new study at Rutgers' Cook College.
