'Freshman 15' A Myth: Study

A new study from Ohio State University reveals that the much-mythologized 'Freshman 15' is just that -- a tall tale.

College students do gain an average of 2 to 3 pounds in their first year of school, according to OSU researcher Jay Zagorsky.

The Houston Chronicle has more:

Zagorsky's study used data from more than 7,000 young Americans who as part of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 were interviewed between the ages of 13 and 17 in 1997 and then interviewed each year since.

Only 10 percent of respondents gained 15 or more pounds during their freshmen years, while one-quarter of the study participants lost weight during their college years.

Zagorsky also said that college wasn't the culprit of late-teenage weight gain. "Most students don't gain large amounts of weight. And it is not college that leads to weight gain - it is becoming a young adult," he said, according to Psych Central.

Read the report's abstract here.

What do you think? Did you gain the freshman 15? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

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Comments

[William Anderson LMHC]

05:11 PM on 11/04/2011

It's no myth to those that have it happen. But it has nothing to do with college. A lot of those who don't go to college will also pack on weight. If they have changes in routines and environment that cause caloric surpluses that didn't exist with their old habits, they are going to pack it on. And when that becomes the norm, whether it's fast food, donuts or late night snacking, watch out.

I solved my weight problem 25 years ago when I lost 140 lbs. with Behavior Medicine. Now I teach it. Read the article about Behavior Medicine: http://theandersonmethod.com/what-is-behavioral-medicine-and-behavioral-healthcare/

So, if you're gaining weight and want to solve the problem, don't diet. Apply some ideas you'll learn about in Psychology 101 in a real life way that can solve the weight problem for good instead of letting it become a lifelong problem.


William Anderson, LMHC
Author of 'The Anderson Method - Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss'
www.TheAndersonMethod.com

[veritas88]

07:32 PM on 11/02/2011

I lost weight during my first 2 years of college. I thought it was fun to have easy access to a gym, so I took up tennis lessons and spinning classes.

[UmichStudent]

09:52 PM on 11/01/2011

its the same story as with any other big life change...some gain weight, some lose weight...some become pot heads and can't stop munching, and some join sororities and feel pressured to look like models...who cares?

[animeartgirl5012]

08:49 PM on 11/01/2011

lost weight so far in my freshmen year hahah

[cesb]

02:08 PM on 11/01/2011

In my experience, it is not a myth. My roommate freshman year gained 18 lbs btwn Aug and Thanksgiving. Her mom didn't recognize her when she walked off the plane. Too much pot, beer and late night pizza.

[mccarthy13]

02:47 PM on 11/01/2011

It's a generalization, but I agree with you. Usually it's substances along with food. You fill your stomach with beer and late night foods - then the next day you're hungry all day so you keep eating.

[Nora Bahr]

12:10 PM on 11/01/2011

I lost about 10 pounds my freshmen year. Even though I had a car I was still walking nearly everywhere and after awhile you learned the best-tasing places to eat on campus had the freshest (red: healthiest) food.

[grod805]

11:38 AM on 11/01/2011

It really depends on where you go to school. I went to a college in a relatively small town with only one fast food restaurant in close proximity. Most students don't have cars and walk to class. Most kids who come from suburban neighborhoods don't walk nearly as much as someone in college. There's also more time to work out in college than back in high school (at least for the majority of people who didn't do sports in high school)

[AshMashSmash]

09:58 AM on 11/01/2011

I lost 24 pounds my freshman year of college (but put some back on later after find a healthy diet and workout scheme to build muscle mass).

It's all in what you eat and drink, and if you have exercise to combat those two things with! It's not hard to be healthy.

[amanda can]

09:51 AM on 11/01/2011

I actually lost 15 pounds my freshman year. My college campus was quite large, and having to walk several miles a day just to get from class to class did great things for my legs. I did have friends that gained weight, thanks to their parent's deep pockets & their all too frequent fast food / takeout binges.

I think it all depends on your particular campus, your propensity to spend on fast food, and your personal eating habits.

[MissIndependentLady]

09:02 AM on 11/01/2011

I never gained the freshman 15. I was afraid of it because I was surrounded by junk food, but I was smart enough to eat wisely. I think the only people who gain it are the ones who do not exercise and eat whatever they want without taking calories into consideration. It's actually easy to avoid gaining a lot of weight. Just be somewhat health conscious.