There is scarcely a graduating high school senior that hasn't been warned about the dreaded Freshman 15---the term for the all too common weight gain experienced by college freshman. While some freshman will not gain any significant weight during their first year at university, many will gain the Freshman 15 pounds, or even 20 or 30 in some instances.
Significance
While the Freshman 15 has become the generic term for the frequent weight gain experienced by college freshman, recent studies indicate that while most freshman do gain weight, it is usually not as much as the Freshman 15. Studies show that on average college students typically gain between 3 to 10 pounds during their first two years of college, with the majority of that weight gain occurring during the first semester of their freshman year. Some students do gain the Freshman 15 or more, but most gain significantly less than that.
Features
There are many causes for the Freshman 15 weight gain, most of which revolve around the new freedom of lifestyle that college freshman are experiencing for the first time. Before college, most teenagers living at home do not set their own hours and diet, rather, their parents set curfews and determine what food will be served at meals. Some of the top reasons for the Freshman 15 weight gain include overeating high calorie foods in self-serve dining halls, eating a lot of pizza and unhealthy takeout, lack of sleep, excessive snacking, alcohol consumption and lack of exercise. The stress that many college freshmen feel dealing with their new living situation and difficult coursework can lead to emotional eating and weight gain as well.
Prevention/Solution
Fortunately the Freshman 15 weight gain can be easily avoided with proper nutritional knowledge and healthy practices and any weight already gained can also be shed by adapting a new healthy lifestyle. To avoid the Freshman 15, college students should eat three appropriately portioned meals a day of low-fat nutritious foods, along with snacks like fruit and vegetables. Students should not eat mindlessly while watching TV or studying and should identify emotional eating due to stress and learn to handle stress without food. Most colleges have extensive workout facilities and students should take advantage of these gyms to keep in shape and healthy. Alcohol consumption and smoking should also be avoided in order to prevent the Freshman 15 weight gain. Alcohol is full of empty calories and can cause weight gain and significant health problems, while smoking often leads to cancer and can cause difficulty exercising that leads to weight gain.
Effects
Health experts are concerned about the long-term implications of the Freshman 15. Weight gained in college can often set precedents for the rest of the student's life, since weight that is gained as an adult is difficult to lose. College students that gain the Freshman 15 and refuse to change their eating and lifestyle habits will typically continue to gain weight throughout their adulthood, leading to obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Considerations
For many college students, gaining the Freshman 15 is their first experience with any type of weight gain. Most students have been growing throughout their teen years, but by the time they reach college no longer need to maintain the caloric intake of a growing adolescent. Many students were also highly active in high school on school sports teams but find themselves exercising little in college. Students that do not amend their diets and activity level are particularly susceptible to the Freshman 15 weight gain.
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