Freshman 15

Last updated

The term "Freshman 15" is an expression commonly used in the United States and Canada to refer to weight gain during a student's first year in college. Although the 15 refers to a 15 lb. (6.8 kg) weight gain, the expression can apply to weight gain in general. In Australia and New Zealand, it is sometimes referred to as "First Year Fatties", [1] "Fresher Spread", [2] or "Fresher Five", [3] [4] the latter referring to a gain of 5 kg (11 lb).

Contents

Causes of this weight gain may be linked to increased alcohol intake, consumption of fat and carbohydrate-rich foods, malnutrition, stress, and decreased levels of exercise.

Research into the subject has shown that on average, a college student gains from 2-3 lb. (1-1.5 kg) of weight during their first year. [5]

Counter-argument

Despite common use of the term, a study from the Ohio State University found that the average female college student gains two pounds and the average male college student gains three pounds (1 and 1.5 kg, respectively) in their first year. Additionally, the research showed that the gain was a half pound (around 200 grams) more than non-college students of the same age and that heavy drinking was the main factor for such weight increase. [5]

Another study conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (a subsidiary of the National Institutes of Health) found that on average, college freshmen gained 2.7 pounds. Additionally, half of the students surveyed gained weight, and 15% of the students lost weight. [6]

Presumed causes

Dining halls

A study conducted on 60 students at Cornell University showed that 20% of the weight gained by the students was likely caused by the dining halls' environment. [7]

Alcohol consumption

Nutrition

Alcohol's caloric content tend to lead to unwanted extra calories. [8] Regular drinking may also cause certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies, such as:

These deficiencies can lead to weight issues caused by malnutrition. Often, this is how certain cravings arise. [8]

About 1 in 4 college students report academic consequences from drinking, including missing classes, falling behind, doing poorly on exams, and overall receiving lower grades. [9] Students who are involved in fraternities and sororities in college tend to have the highest alcohol consumption rates. [9]

Researchers have found that those who consumed drinks of higher alcohol strength, ate significantly more than the others and also ate more fatty and salty foods. They also found that urges to snack were much higher among drinkers. [10]

Foods with alcohol

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's research, people who tend to drink the largest amount of alcohol have the poorest eating habits compared to those who do not consume much alcohol. In this study, researchers compared the 'healthy eating' scores of 3,000 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with their overall consumption of alcohol. They used frequency, quantity, and average daily volume to measure the alcohol consumption.

The researchers found that as the alcohol quantity increased, the Health Index scores declined. Diet quality was the poorest among those who consumed the largest quantity of alcohol. Care packages filled with unhealthy treats, usually sent by parents, are found to be the leading cause of weight gain. Those who drank less alcohol in an infrequent time frame had the best health index scores overall. [11]

A study done by Jatturong R. Wichianson and colleagues at the University of Southern California showed a direct relationship between eating late at night (night eating syndrome) and stress levels among college students. They used a standardized test to measure both the levels of NES and perceived stress each student had. The results showed that students who had higher levels of stress were more likely to have NES due to their inability to adapt. [12]

By gender

Nicole L. Mihalopoulos and colleagues developed a study at a private university in the northeastern United States. Test subjects were made up of male and female freshmen college students who lived on campus. They took an online survey to answer questions about their eating patterns, social behaviors, and weight. The purpose of this was to discover if the individuals showed signs of body image issues or eating disorders.

125 freshmen were eligible for testing and the average age was 18.4. The results showed that about half of the test subjects gained weight. The men gained an average of 3.4 lb (1.5 kg), and the women gained an average of 1.7 lb (770 g) in their freshmen year. These results disproved their hypothesis that the women would have a larger weight gain than the men, but this stays consistent with other studies done on the hypothesis. Even though only 5% of the test subjects showed a weight gain of 15 lb (6.8 kg) or greater, the authors of this study concluded that the freshmen year in college has potential for weight gain and can even lead to obesity later in life. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folate</span> Vitamin B9; nutrient essential for DNA synthesis

Folate, also known as vitamin B9 and folacin, is one of the B vitamins. Manufactured folic acid, which is converted into folate by the body, is used as a dietary supplement and in food fortification as it is more stable during processing and storage. Folate is required for the body to make DNA and RNA and metabolise amino acids necessary for cell division and maturation of blood cells. As the human body cannot make folate, it is required in the diet, making it an essential nutrient. It occurs naturally in many foods. The recommended adult daily intake of folate in the U.S. is 400 micrograms from foods or dietary supplements.

Vitamin deficiency is the condition of a long-term lack of a vitamin. When caused by not enough vitamin intake it is classified as a primary deficiency, whereas when due to an underlying disorder such as malabsorption it is called a secondary deficiency. An underlying disorder can have 2 main causes:

B vitamins are a class of water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism and synthesis of red blood cells. They are a chemically diverse class of compounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diet (nutrition)</span> Sum of food consumed by an organism

In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. The word diet often implies the use of specific intake of nutrition for health or weight-management reasons. Although humans are omnivores, each culture and each person holds some food preferences or some food taboos. This may be due to personal tastes or ethical reasons. Individual dietary choices may be more or less healthy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gastric bypass surgery</span> Type of bariatric surgery

Gastric bypass surgery refers to a technique in which the stomach is divided into a small upper pouch and a much larger lower "remnant" pouch, where the small intestine is rearranged to connect to both. Surgeons have developed several different ways to reconnect the intestine, thus leading to several different gastric bypass procedures (GBP). Any GBP leads to a marked reduction in the functional volume of the stomach, accompanied by an altered physiological and physical response to food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Empty calories</span> Calories with no nutritional value

In human nutrition, empty calories are those calories found in foods and beverages composed primarily or solely of calorie-rich macronutrients such as sugars and fats, but little or no micronutrients, fibre, or protein. Foods composed mostly of empty calories have low nutrient density, meaning few other nutrients relative to their energy content. Empty calories are more difficult to fit into a diet that is both balanced and within TDEE, and so readily create an unhealthy diet.

Freshers' flu is a name commonly given to a battery of illnesses contracted by new students (freshers) during the first few weeks at a university, and colleges of further education in some form; common symptoms include fever, sore throat, severe headache, coughing and general discomfort. The illnesses may or may not include actual flu and is often simply a bad cold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nutrition and pregnancy</span> Nutrient intake and dietary planning undertaken before, during and after pregnancy

Nutrition and pregnancy refers to the nutrient intake, and dietary planning that is undertaken before, during and after pregnancy. Nutrition of the fetus begins at conception. For this reason, the nutrition of the mother is important from before conception as well as throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. An ever-increasing number of studies have shown that the nutrition of the mother will have an effect on the child, up to and including the risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes throughout life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Student orientation</span> Period before the start of an academic year

Student orientation or new student orientation is a period before the start of an academic year at a university or tertiary institutions. A variety of events are held to orient and welcome new students during this period. The name of the event differs across institutions. Post-secondary institutions offer a variety of programs to help orient first year students. These programs can range from voluntary community building activities to mandatory credit-based courses designed to support students academically, socially, and emotionally. Some of these programs occur prior to the start of classes while other programs are offered throughout the school year. A number of research studies have been done to determine the factors to be considered when designing orientation/transition programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyperhomocysteinemia</span> Medical condition

Hyperhomocysteinemia is a medical condition characterized by an abnormally high level of total homocysteine in the blood, conventionally described as above 15 μmol/L.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folate deficiency</span> Abnormally low level of folate (vitamin B9) in the body

Folate deficiency, also known as vitamin B9 deficiency, is a low level of folate and derivatives in the body. This may result in megaloblastic anemia in which red blood cells become abnormally large, and folate deficiency anemia is the term given for this medical condition. Signs of folate deficiency are often subtle. Symptoms may include fatigue, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, feeling faint, open sores on the tongue, loss of appetite, changes in the color of the skin or hair, irritability, and behavioral changes. Temporary reversible infertility may occur. Folate deficiency anemia during pregnancy may give rise to the birth of low weight birth premature infants and infants with neural tube defects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">College health</span> Health of individuals enrolled in college

College health is a desired outcome created by a constellation of services, programs and policies directed at advancing the health and wellbeing of individuals enrolled in an institution of higher education, while also addressing and improving both population health and community health. Many colleges and universities worldwide apply both health promotion and health care as processes to achieve key performance indicators in college health. The variety of healthcare services provided by any one institution range from first aid stations employing a single nurse to large, accredited, multi-specialty ambulatory healthcare clinics with hundreds of employees. These services, programs and policies require a multidisciplinary team, the healthcare services alone include physicians, physician assistants, administrators, nurses, nurse practitioners, mental health professionals, health educators, athletic trainers, dietitians and nutritionists, and pharmacists. Some of the healthcare services extend to include massage therapists and other holistic health care professionals. While currently changing, the vast majority of college health services are set up as cost centers or service units rather than as parts of academic departments or health care delivery enterprises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydroxocobalamin</span> Form of vitamin B12

Hydroxocobalamin, also known as vitamin B12a and hydroxycobalamin, is a vitamin found in food and used as a dietary supplement. As a supplement it is used to treat vitamin B12 deficiency including pernicious anemia. Other uses include treatment for cyanide poisoning, Leber's optic atrophy, and toxic amblyopia. It is given by injection into a muscle or vein, by pill or sublingually.

Vitamin B<sub>12</sub> deficiency Disorder resulting from low blood levels of vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 deficiency, also known as cobalamin deficiency, is the medical condition in which the blood and tissue have a lower than normal level of vitamin B12. Symptoms can vary from none to severe. Mild deficiency may have few or absent symptoms. In moderate deficiency, feeling tired, headaches, soreness of the tongue, mouth ulcers, breathlessness, feeling faint, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure, pallor, hair loss, decreased ability to think and severe joint pain and the beginning of neurological symptoms, including abnormal sensations such as pins and needles, numbness and tinnitus may occur. Severe deficiency may include symptoms of reduced heart function as well as more severe neurological symptoms, including changes in reflexes, poor muscle function, memory problems, blurred vision, irritability, ataxia, decreased smell and taste, decreased level of consciousness, depression, anxiety, guilt and psychosis. If left untreated, some of these changes can become permanent. Temporary infertility, reversible with treatment, may occur. A late finding type of anemia known as megaloblastic anemia is often but not always present. In exclusively breastfed infants of vegan mothers, undetected and untreated deficiency can lead to poor growth, poor development, and difficulties with movement.

Vitamin B<sub><small>12</small></sub> Vitamin used in animal cells metabolism

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin involved in metabolism. It is one of eight B vitamins. It is required by animals, which use it as a cofactor in DNA synthesis, and in both fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. It is important in the normal functioning of the nervous system via its role in the synthesis of myelin, and in the circulatory system in the maturation of red blood cells in the bone marrow. Plants do not need cobalamin and carry out the reactions with enzymes that are not dependent on it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nutritional neuroscience</span> Scientific discipline

Nutritional neuroscience is the scientific discipline that studies the effects various components of the diet such as minerals, vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, fats, dietary supplements, synthetic hormones, and food additives have on neurochemistry, neurobiology, behavior, and cognition.

Relatively speaking, the brain consumes an immense amount of energy in comparison to the rest of the body. The mechanisms involved in the transfer of energy from foods to neurons are likely to be fundamental to the control of brain function. Human bodily processes, including the brain, all require both macronutrients, as well as micronutrients.

Drunkorexia is a colloquialism for anorexia or bulimia combined with an alcohol use disorder. The term is generally used to denote the utilization of extreme weight control methods to compensate for planned binge drinking. Research on the combination of an eating disorder and binge drinking has primarily focused on college-aged women, though the phenomenon has also been noted among young men. Studies suggest that individuals engage in this combination of self-imposed malnutrition and binge drinking to avoid weight gain from alcohol, to save money for purchasing alcohol, and to facilitate alcohol intoxication.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleep deprivation in higher education</span> Health issue in students

Sleep deprivation – the condition of not having enough sleep – is a common health issue for students in higher education. This issue has several underlying and negative consequences, but there are a few helpful improvements that students can make to reduce its frequency and severity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcohol use among college students</span> Unhealthy alcohol drinking behaviors by college students

Many students attending colleges, universities, and other higher education institutions consume alcoholic beverages. The laws and social culture around this practice vary by country and institution type, and within an institution, some students may drink heavily whereas others may not drink at all. In the United States, drinking tends to be particularly associated with fraternities.

References

  1. Cara (2013-05-10). "First Year Fatties | Health and Fitness". Mhsbroadcaster.org. Archived from the original on 2013-10-21. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  2. Lissa Christopher (April 2011). "University life can make you fat". Smh.com.au. Archived from the original on 2014-03-17. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  3. Nick. "The Fresher Five". Critic - Te Arohi. Otago University Students' Association. Archived from the original on 2017-04-12. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  4. Hercus, Josh. "Fresher FAQ". Critic - Te Arohi. Archived from the original on 2017-04-12. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  5. 1 2 Palmer, Kim (November 1, 2011). ""Freshman 15" weight gain is a myth: study". Reuters . Archived from the original on 2011-11-02. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
  6. Mihalopoulos, Nicole L.; Auinger, Peggy; Klein, Jonathan D. (2008). "The Freshman 15: Is it Real?". Journal of American College Health. 56 (5): 531–533. doi:10.3200/JACH.56.5.531-534. ISSN   0744-8481. PMC   2532948 . PMID   18400665.
  7. Levitsky, D. A.; Halbmaier, C. A.; Mrdjenovic, G. (November 2004). "The freshman weight gain: a model for the study of the epidemic of obesity". International Journal of Obesity. 28 (11): 1435–1442. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0802776. PMID   15365585. S2CID   2415235.
  8. 1 2 "Alcohol and Nutrition: Health and Disease Prevention - Does alcohol impact your weight?". MedicineNet. Archived from the original on 2014-03-21. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  9. 1 2 "College Drinking" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-05-11. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  10. "How does alcohol consumption affect your weight and shape?". Archived from the original on 2018-04-14. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  11. "Unhealthy Drinking, Eating Habits Linked". Alcoholism.about.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  12. Wichianson, Jatturong R.; Stephanie A. Bughi; Jennifer B. Unger; Donna Spruijt-Metz; Selena T. Nguyen-Rodriguez (2009). "Perceived stress, coping and night-eating in college students". Stress and Health. 25 (3): 235–240. doi:10.1002/smi.1242. Archived from the original on 2013-01-05.
  13. Mihalopoulos, Nicole L.; Peggy Auinger; Jonathan D. Klein (2008). "The Freshman 15: Is it Real?". Journal of American College Health. 56 (5): 531–3. doi:10.3200/JACH.56.5.531-534. PMC   2532948 . PMID   18400665.

Bibliography