Students can learn to fend off 'Freshman 15'
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College students Hayley Larsen, 22, (left) and Calla Whipp, 21, stretch before a jog.
Unlimited dessert.
Meredith Foreman's biggest challenge as a student eating at Iowa State
University's dining halls was not to overindulge in the tempting sweets
that were so readily available. So she and her friends decided as a
group to eat only one dessert a day, each of them taking turns picking
the daily treat.
"When you're eating in a big group, you kind of support each other," says Foreman, 23.
By watching what she ate and staying physically active, Foreman graduated in May 2007 without gaining a pound.
All-you-can-eat dining, late-night pizza runs and high-calorie caffeine
drinks are just some of the diet challenges many college students face.
For some, the change in eating habits can lead to weight gain the first
year of school.
It's known as the dreaded "Freshman 15." But some studies, including
one published in the June issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic
Association, have found that first-year weight gain to be less.
Researchers at the University of Guelph, Canada, found that the average
weight gain among 116 first-year female students was about 5 pounds.
But the researchers noted that the increase was over six to seven
months and warned that continuing at that rate could lead to being
overweight or obese.
Results from two studies published in 2006 found that the average
weight gain among freshmen was five to seven pounds, followed by a two-
or three-pound gain their sophomore year.
For many, maintaining a healthy weight takes a conscious effort to keep
track of what they're eating and finding different ways to integrate
physical activity into their daily routine, say health professionals,
college students and recent college graduates.
Calla Whipp found that staying active and eating in moderation helped
her keep her weight fairly stable while attending Drake University.
The 21-year-old, who will be a senior this fall, ticked off all the
activities she enjoys - step aerobics (she teaches at Drake), dancing,
biking, running, walking with friends and riding horses.
It helps to pick a workout schedule you can sustain and find a friend to work out with, says Whipp, from Clarinda, Iowa.
