Freshman 15 Literature Review

De Vos, P., Hanck, C., Neisingh, M., Prak, D., Groen, H., & Faas, M. M. (2015). Weight gain in freshman college students and perceived health. Preventive Medicine Reports, 2, 229–234.

The cause of this gain of weight varies depending on the individual but is considered to be prompt by a new environment and adaptation process that college have on students. These alterations cause stress in the students’ life, which

When I arrived here at college I was extremely disappointed with the selection of food here in the cafeteria. I frequently found myself eating only hamburgers and pizza over and over again, simply because I did not like the other choices. About four months into the school year I had do go to the doctor for a virus and when the nurse weighed me I was a little surprised by what I saw. I had gained a little over ten pounds, close enough to what some refer to as the “Freshman 15.” It is a common fear among college students that they are going to gain fifteen pounds during the course of adjusting to college life. However experts have stated that the idea of the so called “Freshman 15,” is not that accurate. Every college student is obviously

The expense of going to college or university can be enormous and overwhelming for students and parents. These costs can include, but are not limited to, transportation to and from campus, tuition, dorm fees, books, and many other “basics” for a young university student, leaving a lot of financial ground to cover. This often leaves little to no room for money to spare for a healthy diet, as students are generally relying on snacks and dining halls for their meals. “College is a time when young people begin to reinforce their eating habits. If you gain weight during this period of your life, it is generally an indicator that weight gain will continue after graduation” (Gores). With this knowledge in mind, developing good eating habits is very important. Developing a healthy eating plan is one way a student can start to combat the “Freshmen 15.” “Studies show that students on average gain 3 to 10 pounds during their first 2 years of college. Most of this weight gain occurs during the first semester of freshman year” (Hirsch 1) but research also suggests “that weight gain during the pursuit of higher education may go well beyond the first year, and could be a bigger health threat than parents, students, or scientists realized” (O’Connor). There are quite a few things that can contribute to this weight gain.

My article was about the dreaded freshman 15 and how it’s common for freshman students to gain weight during their first year. The article talks about if students actually gain 15 pounds just in their first year alone. Some studies have said that this is false, and the average weight gain is closer to around 7 and ½ pounds. While this isn’t so bad, the article goes on to show where all those calories will be coming from, and give tips as to how to avoid weight gain. The article mentions how to pick healthy food in the dining hall, and how to eat less while there. It advises also getting into habits of going to the gym and staying active alongside eating healthy. Lastly, it talks about snacking in between meals and drinking calories. The author

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare ‘good health is an important element in a child’s quality of life as it can influence participation in many aspects of the life, including school and physical education’. A poor start to a child’s life increases the outcome of a poor adult life, as 24.9% of children aged from 5-17years already overweight or obese. These statistics are based on The International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), who have developed a standard age and sex-specific Body Mass Index (BMI) cut off point. Nutrition is the key factor of a student’s health and wellbeing, already students are; eating 48% junk food per day and eating majority foods that fall under the ‘red food’ category. (Health

The myth indicates that first-year college students either gain fifteen pound from eating unhealthy or lose fifteen pounds due to not eating during their first years in college. We are all encouraged to take health class in college and learn about nutrients, but we can barely apply our knowledge to campus food. Cal Poly Pomona provides various options for food around campus, but not every dining space is healthy. As diligent students around campus, I believe the campus should improve its dining options. The common phrase: “You are what you eat” is highly emphasized in health class. I suggest the replacement of Round Table Pizza with healthier local restaurants that will serve students. Our campus does not serve fish to its students, but fish is high in Omega-3 fatty acids which boost body and brain functions. As students visually see the implementation of healthy food alternatives on campus, they will apply the knowledge from health class upon their diets. In health class, we were instructed to track our diets with the MyPlate. Through my food tracking on the website, I learned what food groups I was overeating and others that I was under eating. This website mapped out my goals for dairy, fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates, calories and sugars intakes which enabled me to visualize my diet. I would suggest that Cal Poly Pomona offers the MyPlate as an option for students to do over a quarter of 0.5 units so students

Julianne Tarullo, a journalist from the Huffington Post and press coordination of NBCUniversal Media, explains the nutritional challenges of a college student in her article “Nutrition in College: Answers From the Experts.” Weight gain, eating habits, fad diets, drinking, and weight management are some of the nutritional challenges that a college student may face. Tarullo’s article relates to a topic of why college years are a nutritional challenge, which is a topic discussed in chapter 7 of “Get Fit Stay Well.”

Having bad eating habits can cause vastly eating disorders and illnesses. Students attending college that do not eat right are most likely to conceive an illness or become overweight. “An unhealthy diet is a major risk factor for becoming overweight and obese,” (McNight). Freshman 15 is most likely to get to the students that have This is something to think about when it comes to meal plans. The majority of the meal plans offered at any college are high in fats and calories. By consuming all of these foods you are more likely to having this problem.

College is a new stage in life with a new environment and maybe a different lifestyle. This makes it a prime opportunity to take control of a healthy lifestyle. Who would want to have the dreaded Freshman 15 (or even more)?

Obesity has risen over the years. The United States now has one of the highest obesity rates. Bad eating habits are usually the cause of this pandemic. For the past few decades, college dorm foods have led to these habits. The more unhealthy food choices are, the harder it is for people to resist these foods. Colleges serve a variety of unhealthy food in their dining halls that contributes to students’ lower GPA. By eating healthier, students can maintain a healthy weight, focus better in school, and increase their school performance to a higher grade point average (GPA).

One easy fix for this weight gain is to have healthy food at on campus eating facilities. Not just healthy options like many schools have already but healthy food as the norm. Instead of having three Starbucks, a pizza place and two burger chains, colleges should have restaurants that serve healthy foods like a quinoa salad, fresh fruit and hummus. In college, everyone just wants to fit in so by having healthy food being considered normal the peer pressure would be to have a salad instead of a pizza slice.

College students in America have most likely heard of the infamous “Freshman Fifteen”. This is a popular term that claims to affect many students in their first year of college or university. Food consumption and diet in college often become inconsistent rather than what is typically consumed at home with their parents. The number fifteen signifies the number of pounds gained during freshman year. (Farlex Inc., 2012) These poor eating habits stem from students eating less fruits and vegetables and more of foods high in fat and caloric value. That’s why it is important for college students to follow the MyPlate guideline. MyPlate is a nutritional guide based on what is advised by the government’s Dietary Guidelines and is also meant to replace the well-recognized but somewhat confusing food pyramid. (TIME Magazine, 2011) Not only is MyPlate on Campus a program that serves as an initiative to get college and university students talking about healthy

Robert is a freshman in college and like many freshmen. He is fairly smart with a 3.0 gpa so far and is taking honor type classes. His goals include going for the dean list and getting more money for college so that he may further his education after he receives his bachelors. He may not be well known but he has enough friends who are interested in the same things as him. While not in school, Robert is either involved with the engineering club or is doing community service for his city. Robert is also trying to find a job to help sustain his college work while also finding an internship for engineering while trying to receive his degree. Even though Robert is enjoying his college life, he, like many other freshmen’s, has been hit by an epidemic that is known as the freshmen fifteen. Robert has never had to deal with weight issues as he was not much of an eater but was able to maintain a healthy weight according to doctors. However, because of his love for fast food now, his weight has increased and has caused him to have body image issues. Now, Robert wants to lose the weight but not give up on fast foods. In order for Robert to lose weight, he must watch calorie intake and outtake, eat smaller portions, and adapt to healthier food.

College age students face different problems than the teens in high school. When students live in dormitories at a university or college, they eat on a meal plan. They usually do not have money of their own to spend on food at restaurants so the cafeteria regulates what food they eat. The cafeterias serve a lot of foods such as hamburgers or other meats with sauces and a lot of potatoes. These foods are very high in starch and cause of weight gain.