Fall 2006 Back to SChool Guide
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The Freshman 15 Student Health
Studies show that fabled fat is not just a fairy story By Megan Trusty
U-Wire – Rocky Mountain Collegian FORT COLLINS, Colo. – As an incoming Colorado State University freshman, Johanna Armstrong tried her best to prepare for college. The anticipation of a new social life, large campus and hard classes left her anxious for what the next year would be like. But preparing for the notorious “freshman 15” was even harder. This feared statistic – the
number of pounds a typical student supposedly gains during his or her first year at college – often creeps up on unsuspecting freshmen. The smorgasbord of pizza, pasta, fried food and ice cream that congest the dining halls is hard for many freshmen to avoid. “I’d heard a lot of stories about it,” recalled Armstrong, a junior human development and family studies major. “I didn’t think it would be as big of a deal as people made it.” Armstrong fought the pounds by staying conscious of her habits and working out at the gym. She gained about five pounds but lost it over the summer. Armstrong certainly wasn’t alone
in her battle. Studies show students gain an average of five pounds, said Dawn Clifford, a registered dietitian at Hartshorn Health Center. A study by Washington University found approximately 70 percent of students gain weight during their freshman year. “I think the number one reason freshman gain weight their first year is the all-you-can-eat dining atmosphere,” Clifford said. “Freshman are not used to that atmosphere for every meal, so it’s really exciting for them.” The general freedom of college life is new for most freshmen, and they often don’t know how to handle it.
Clifford also attributes freshman weight-gain to alcohol consumption and late-night snacking. “I gained some weight freshman year,” said Kayce Wagner, a graduate student studying leadership in animal sciences. “The cafeteria had ice cream, hamburgers and hot dogs, and they stayed open until midnight. So we’d always just cruise over there for study breaks.” But there are precautions students can take to protect themselves from packing on pounds. For instance, Clifford suggests visualizing portions as if it were a meal at home. “Remind yourself that you have all year to eat at the dining hall
so don’t feel like you have to eat everything at once,” she said. “Eat, hang out and check in with your fullness.” She also recommended taking advantage of the fitness opportunities on campus, such as intramural sports and the Student Recreation Center, or simply walking to class. Of course, students have their own suggestions as well. Lay off the suds, said T.J. Sheahen, a junior construction management major who didn’t gain any weight during his first year. Sheahen knows many people who gained weight during their freshmen year, mostly from drinking. He said: “Beer kills you.”
