Many college-bound freshmen are worrying about more than just who their roommate will be this fall. They may also be nervous about the well-known fact that they are likely to gain weight this school year. Or will they? While many of us remember the extra weight that showed up right around the start of our college careers, we are not always clear on how much weight we really gained or why.
Many nutrition experts and psychologists hypothesize that it is the change in environment and the stress of a new beginning that causes the typical college freshman to gain extra pounds. As students embark on a new phase of their lives, many eat to cope with the stress of change or loneliness. Often, college students are making meals or choosing foods independently for the first time in their lives. If they live in the college dormitory, they have a wide variety of foods to select from that may be higher in calories and fat than the foods they typically consumed living at home. In addition, college social events usually center around food. I clearly remember sitting in my dorm cafeteria for 2 or 3 hours on a Saturday morning socializing with my peers. Instead of eating only one meal, we would start with breakfast, graze for the duration of our socializing, and finish with lunch. Food also makes an appearance after late-night parties, as part of a study session, or simply to break the monotony.
So will this year's typical freshman really gain 15 pounds? According to a 2002 Tufts University study, students enrolling in college this fall will gain weight, but maybe not the assumed 15 pounds. Based on the students surveyed, the study found that men can expect to gain an average of 6 pounds and women an average of 4.5 pounds during the freshman year.
How can students combat extra weight? As with all good nutrition principles, moderation and planning is the key:
- Choose ahead. Many college dorms publish menus in advance. Deciding what to eat before you get to the cafeteria will help you resist the temptation to make high-fat, impulse selections.
- Choose the right foods. Many college cafeterias now cater to all types of diets. Select low-fat, healthy options and keep high-fat, high-sugar foods to a minimum.
- Keep the size down. Be conscious of portion sizes; an occasional piece of pie or cake is fine, but take the smaller slice.
- Don't mix food and fun. Allot a specific time for meals and don't make the cafeteria your social headquarters.
- Stay active. Exercise is an important component of any healthy lifestyle. Physical activity at college may be less than in high school, so make an effort to add some exercise to your daily routine.