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While some may have gained some weight during their first year at college, new studies are showing that the phenomenon known as the "freshman 15" doesn't have much more than word-of-mouth behind it. The term first appeared in the mid 1980s in the Chicago Tribune, where the fact that it was a large enough number to inspire worry, but not so large that it seemed unbelievable, kept it going. So will students entering college really gain 15-pounds in their first year? A study from Rutgers that was published last month showed that 25% of students (Rutgers students) lost weight during their first year, while 75% gained an average of 7 pounds. "Nobody gained 15 pounds," said the professor behind the study.
Of course, some students will go overboard and binge on pizza and vending machine snacks without any supervision but their own, but many students will not. College eating halls are offering healthier options all the time, so students are more likely to see organic, vegetarian and vegan options, along with lean meats and plenty of healthy veggies, rather than just greasy, fried fare.
Perhaps the "freshman 15" is really just a reminder to try to keep kids on a healthier track and, if so, perhaps the fact that most students aren't seeing that kind of weight gain is reason enough to keep it going.
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9-01-2006 @9:45AM Jay said... thanks for this information
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9-01-2006 @9:51AM Dustin said... Actually, I was looking forward to getting the so called freshman 15. I was a pretty skinny kid in H.S. I however gained that 15 plus more when ever I started my job after college.
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9-01-2006 @11:01AM Josh Baugher said... Hmmm, I gained *twenty* pounds my first semester in college[1]! I lost some later on and it was a 10 pound net gain overall.
([1] #2 http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/departments/college/?article=10schoolswithGreatFood07)
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9-01-2006 @10:36AM Bob said... 75% of freshmen lose an "average" of 7 pounds, so that negates the theory of the "freshman 15"?? That seems only to prove this theory...which is basically that when you go to college you're almost guaranteed to pack on a few pounds. It's not about the exact number of pounds, it's about the chubbiness factor. I really doubt you'd notice the differenct between gaining 10 or 15 pounds on an 18 year old anyway, and the "15" was obviously picked because "freshman 15" has a nice zing to it. The "Freshman 10" or the "Freshman Average gain of 7 pounds" just doesn't sound as good.
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9-01-2006 @11:05AM James Allen said... It may be a myth, but I certainly gained 15 pounds and then some. I went from living in the country and doing a lot of things outdoors to living in a dorm (eating the cafeteria food - which was not healthy at all) and hardly ever leaving campus. I'm still trying to get rid of the pounds 5 years late
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9-01-2006 @12:45PM calamari said... The "freshman 15" might have been more true 20 years ago, when teens were more likely to see meatloaf, potatoes, and two veg at home. Now that "home cooking" is more likely to be processed or takeaway, the junk food at college is nothing new.
There ought to be some weight gain at that age anyway, just from filling out and settling down to a grown-up metabolism after the teen growth spurt.
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9-01-2006 @11:41AM kacee said... I have read numerous articles lately (including on the That's Fit blog) that state just the opposite. The stress of studying and being away from home, the late night eating, the abundance of fast food near campuses all lead to increased consumption. Along with the beer and alcohol use on most campuses, it's easy to pack on at least 15 pounds. I know I packed on 20! As did every one of my friends I went to college with.
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9-01-2006 @11:53AM suburban misfit said... Because I was really active in sports and such during my first four years in college (it took me five years to graduate because I changed my major mid-way), I never gained weight. That last year, though, I quit all my extra-cirriculars to cram in the classes and I gained a few pounds. Not anywhere near 15, though, and I was hardly a freshman!
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9-01-2006 @1:28PM Lorna Tedder said... Hmmm, the term first appeared in the mid-80's? Don't think so. I first heard it in 1979 and was very aware of it when I started college in 1980. Saw it happen to many of my 18yr old friends, but it was in direct reaction to all the beer that they could drink for the first time (legal drinking age didn't increase to 21 for a few years after that). I hated beer...but loved junk food and went from 95 pounds to 100!
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