Freshman 15

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).

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 (0.9–1.4 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 2 pounds (0.9 kg) and the average male college student gains 3 pounds (1.4 kg) 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 (1.2 kg). 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:

• Folate helps to create and maintain new cells. Alcohol interferes with the intake, absorption, transport, storage, and release of folate.
• Vitamin B₁₂ is required to make DNA and maintain healthy nerve and red blood cells. Alcohol has been shown to decrease the levels of B₁₂.
• Vitamin A is needed for vision, regulation of the immune system, bone growth, reproduction, cell division, and differentiation. Alcohol decreases the levels of this vitamin and increases toxicity when alcohol is consumed in large amounts.
• Calcium is needed for blood vessel and muscle movement, for the secretions of certain hormones and enzymes, and for sending messages through the nervous system. Consumption of alcohol can cause a loss of calcium through urinary excretion.

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

About one in four 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 drink the most alcohol tend to have worse eating habits than 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, infrequently, 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 freshman 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 freshman year in college has potential for weight gain and can even lead to obesity later in life.^[13]