Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Freshman 15 Falsehood?

 
Even though I didn't gain much weight during my freshman year of college, I have a friend who did and swears it proves the theory of the "freshman 15."  If you've never heard this term, the idea is that during the freshman year of college the stress, the homesickness, the unhealthy food, all of the challenges of adjusting to college life will undoubtedly cause a young adult to gain 15 pounds.
  A brand new study now gives college students good reason to avoid fretting over the "freshman 15."  A scientist from Ohio State University conducted a study and found the average college freshman does not gain 15 pounds during his or her first year of higher education and might actually lose weight.
  From TODAY.com    College freshmen can hold the guilt next time they order a late-night pizza.  Despite repeated warnings about packing on the dreaded “freshman 15” and rising obesity rates in the United States, a study finds that most college students do not gain 15 pounds in their first year.
"The 'freshman 15' is a myth," said Ohio State research scientist Jay Zagorsky, co-author of the study that is believed to be the first nationwide look at the purported phenomenon. "There is no 'freshman 15.'"
His research, to be published in the December issue of the journal Social Science Quarterly, found that the average student gains between 2.4 and 3.5 pounds freshman year. For women, the average weight gain was 3.1 pounds; for men it was 3.5 pounds.
“There are lots of things to worry about in college, but if you’re the average person, gaining weight is not one of them,” Zagorsky said.
 Away from home for the first time, there are many reasons to fear that college students will pack on pounds, Zagorsky said. They may have access to all-you-can-eat cafeterias and high-calorie alcoholic drinks. They might not be exercising because gym class isn’t required and they may be drinking sugary caffeinated drinks if they’re tired. They may stress-eat or turn to cheap fast food if they’re on a tight budget.  Despite those changes, the research found that most kids don’t even gain 15 pounds during four years of college. Women gained an average 8.9 pounds over four years of college, while men gained an average 13.4 pounds.
25 percent of freshmen actually lose weight  The two factors that made a difference in weight gain were heavy drinking, which led to a gain of a little less than an extra pound, and working, which led to an extra one-fifth of a pound for each month they worked.  And it isn’t college itself that leads to weight gain, but rather becoming a young adult. The study found that the average freshman gains less than a pound more than someone the same age who didn’t go to college.  The study also found that: Just under 10 percent of college freshman do gain 15 pounds or more; 25 percent of freshmen lost weight, and the average person gained 1.5 pounds a year in each of the first four years after college.
 The study relied on nationwide data from 7,418 young people surveyed as part of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth from 1997. The respondents reported their height and weight every year since.  The survey was conducted for the U.S. Department of Labor by the Ohio State’s Center for Human Resource Research, where Zagorsky is a researcher.
 The bottom line is that people should learn to be healthy while they’re still young, Zagorsky said, adding that even a 1.5-pound annual weight gain will lead to obesity over time.
“College is a wonderful time to learn how to eat healthy on your own, without mom and dad looking over your shoulder,” Zagorsky said. “The idea is to try to set up healthy living habits early in life.”

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