Column:

Fear of Freshman 15 may spur unhealthy habits

Expectations of college weight gain may cause students to over or under-compensate.

By Chris Gu

Published Aug. 31, 2010

Chris Gu is a third year medical student at the School of Medicine and has served as a co-director of the MedZou Clinic. Each week, Chris will explore a health-related issue affecting students and answer readers’ questions.

Whether you call it the Freshman 15, or our local Mizzou 22, freshman year weight gain is firmly embedded in the lore of college life. Parents and friends warn you about it but it's hard to determine what's true about packing on the pounds in your first year of college.

Students hear conflicting rumors and myths but extensive research has revealed that freshmen do gain weight, but the amount is less than popular belief. It can also be avoided or lessened by paying attention to your wellness habits.

A meta-analysis -- a fancy way of combining the results of several studies -- published in 2008 by The Journal of American College Health showed college students gain an average of 3.86 pounds during freshman year. While most of the studies included more female students than males, those that included both revealed the weight gain is similar between the two sexes.

Some research shows weight gain continues past freshman year. A study of Indiana college students revealed students gained the most from first semester of freshman year into sophomore year. Both sexes gained an average of 1.5 pounds during sophomore year. A long-term study conducted by a private St. Louis university showed students gained an average of 5.5 pounds in four years.

On-campus living is the main contributor to freshman weight gain, according to some research. A San Jose State University study showed the diets of on-campus students differed from their off-campus counterparts. One finding revealed only 28 percent of on-campus students ate breakfast daily, which led to increased snacking.

Researchers identified factors that predict weight gain other than increased eating and lack of physical activity. Alcohol consumption leads to weight gain in both men and women and intense, frequent exercise causes an increase in heavier muscle mass.

Also, men and women were found to respond to stressful relationships differently. Research suggests that men who had stressful relationships with their parents showed increased weight gain, while women showed the opposite. Men tend to respond to negative relationships with increased alcohol and food intake, while women internalize feelings, leading to food restriction, depression and sometimes bulimia.

Terry Wilson, director of Health Promotion and Wellness at the MU Student Health Center acknowledges freshmen often believe the weight gain myth and respond in different ways.

"Students buy into the myth and either increase their physical activity and obsess over food choices in an effort to minimize the weight gain or accept that weight gain is inevitable and unintentionally decrease their physical activity because of their busy schedules," Wilson said.

Wilson also said the stress of transitioning to a college environment has an effect on weight gain.

"Students who were never in a stressful academic setting in high school are now experiencing the stress associated with increased workload and pressure to perform academically," Wilson said. "This stress can often times result in overeating."

Wilson recommended some ways for freshmen to regulate their weight:

1. Set dedicated time for exercise because exercise can reduce stress levels and increase metabolic rate.

2. Get plenty of regularly scheduled sleep, since sleep patterns will affect eating patterns.

3. Eat a variety of colored foods including fresh fruit and vegetables.

4. Limit high calorie drinks including energy drinks and alcohol. Many students don't realize the average mixed alcoholic drink (8 oz.) contains 300 calories.