The Truth About the Freshman 15

Late-night pizza binges and snacking on chips might be part of the typical college routine, but a new study says that the college lifestyle isn't what leads to weight gain.

The 3 a.m. pizza. French fries and unlimited ice cream at dining halls. The five-pound bag of candy your roommate's mom just sent. With all these temptations, it’s no wonder the “freshman 15” has become such a popular idea. But according to a new study published in the journal Social Science Quarterly, the average college student doesn’t gain anywhere close to a full 15 pounds, and the weight changes are due to becoming an adult, not to too many high-calorie alcoholic drinks.

Why Do College Students Gain Weight?

Researchers found that 25 percent of students actually lost weight during their time on campus, but thanks to the changes and freedoms that come with the freshman year of college, some students still pack on extra pounds.

"The reason why the weight gain usually happens is due to lifestyle changes — new environment with new food choices, added stress of being newly away from home, and new changes in physical activity," says Gretchen Peyton, RD, a dietitian at the Center for Partnership Medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

A new study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicinefound that changes in activity level might be the biggest factor in freshman weight gain. Overall activity rates drop suddenly when students, particularly male students, go away to college, the study found, and the level of activity doesn't pick up after graduation. However, all of this might not be adding up to out-of-control college weight gain.

The Ohio State researchers say that most students don’t gain as much as 15 pounds during four years of college — women gained an average of 8.9 pounds while men put on an average of 13.4 pounds.

When Freshman Weight Gain Happens

"My freshman 20 came from not having regularly scheduled meals," says Marcie Wingfield Jeffreys, of Frankfort, Ky. "I was still getting almost as muchexercise — I was majoring in dance, so I was dancing every day," she says, but the prepaid meal card and always-open dining hall allowed too much free feeding.

Whether at the snack bar or the dining hall, she ate to avoid studying or to just visit with friends. Before she knew it, she was eating whole meals and snacking several times throughout the day — it wasn’t just breakfast, lunch, and dinner anymore.

After realizing what the too-large portions too many times a day were doing to her, Jeffreys started paying attention. "Was I really eating what I needed to eat or was I just eating for fun? I stopped 'sport eating,'" she says, and got back to a healthy weight and healthy eating habits.

Ways to Skip the Weight Gain

Even if the “freshman 15” is a misnomer, college students should still take steps to maintain their health. Peyton offers these tips:

Don't skip meals. "Make sure you wake up early enough to have a bowl of high-fiber cereal or oatmeal before class," Peyton says. You don't want to leave yourself starving, in which case you'll turn to quick and easy junk food and eat more than you need.

Make healthy lunch choices. "Take time at the cafeteria to make a healthy salad at the salad bar, add lots of veggies, lean protein like chicken, and light vinaigrette dressing," offers Peyton, adding you should choose a light protein with lots of vegetables for dinner, too.

Be prepared with better snacks. If you get hungry while studying into the wee hours or need some food to help combat studying stress, don't be tempted by the junk in vending machines. Keep fresh fruit, almonds, or granola bars handy, suggests Peyton.

Cut back on the caffeinated beverages. Do you tend to down Mountain Dew or iced coffee to stay awake when you're feeling stressed about tomorrow's exam? Those drinks often pack hundreds of empty calories. Instead, stick to plain black coffee or green tea, which have no calories.

Order healthier pizza. You can still eat pizza — just be smarter about it. Peyton suggests ordering a veggie pizza instead of one loaded with pepperoni and sausage, or ask for only half the cheese. And limit yourself to only one or two pieces plus a healthy salad.

Practice moderation. When you're tired, overly hungry, or stressed out, you may turn to food. Be aware of portion control, along with making healthier choices. You can have a little bit of the delicious (but unhealthy) goodies; just limit yourself. And, says Peyton, account for any extra calories with some exercise earlier in the day, before you find yourself crunched for time.

Follow these steps and you’ll be able to enjoy the whole college experience without packing on the extra pounds.