Freshman 15—Truth or Myth?

Student Reporter: Rebecca Lemmermann

As high school seniors approach this coming fall, many students worry about their health once they enter college. It is a well known myth that many teenage girls gain a significant amount of weight during the start of their freshman year of college. Whether or not this is true is still unsure but has been proven that Cornell students tend to gain four pounds during their first semester of college. If this is a concern for you, there are a few ways to avoid unwanted weight gain.

Some reasons college students might gain weight is from the buffet-style dinning offered in many college dormitories. Each morning, noon, and evening students are offered an array of food choices, including unhealthy snacks which students often eat multiple times a day instead of choosing healthier foods. Students can eat healthier in their school’s cafeteria by navigating dining halls and rotating the selections to eat during each meal, skipping out on baked sweets and avoiding seconds on high calorie foods. Another way you can eat healthier while at school is by avoiding fatty snack foods and excessive snacks which are offered in vending machines. Vending machines are used to satisfy impulsive eating and are usually filled with candy, chips, soda and unhealthy snacks. Examples of expectable snack foods are crackers, baby carrots, pretzels, popcorn (minus the buttery topping), juice, milk and bottled water. By staying clear of vending machines and fast food restaurants it is easier for a college student to eat healthier.

Another factor which could attribute to weight gain is the busy lifestyles which most college students endure. College students are known to skip meals and stay up very late multiple times throughout the week to study and finish homework. When people force their body’s to stay awake for longer amounts of hours during the day, it causes your hunger level to rise and can ultimately cause someone to over eat or to choose quick fatty snacks. Skipping meals is also an unhealthy practice which causes people to over eat. When a person deprives their body of food for an extended amount of time, the person is more susceptible to over indulge when they find time to eat later during the day. By eating three meals a day and trying to get at least some sleep each night, a young adult can achieve more during the day. Sleep has been proven to improve concentration, appearance and boost the immune system.

So you’ve started college and you’re not really sure if you’re on the right track? Try checking your weight occasionally and noting any difference you’ve seen. Also try to keep track of your eating habits and try to stay consistent each day. If you have any serious concerns, do not hesitate to contact a nutritionist or a health profession. Taking good care of your body is the best way to a happy and successful future. A few helpful websites are listed below to help those who are looking for more information.

http://www.gannett.cornell.edu/top10Topics/nutrition-eating/hotTopics/freshman15.html
http://kidshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/college/freshman_15.html