Aug. 25--For Andrew Faust, the "Freshman 15" was actually more like 10.
Nonetheless, the phenomenon of freshmen gaining weight during their first year of college -- the so-called "Freshman 15" -- definitely applied to Faust, now a junior at High Point University.
"I was away from home, so I wasn't eating with my family -- I wasn't eating prepared meals -- and I could just eat whatever I wanted," he recalls. "I was snacking on things that were not so healthy -- social snacking, like when I'm talking to friends -- and I did a lot of snacking while I was studying. That was my biggest downfall."
A runner in high school, Faust was surprised at his weight gain, but acknowledges that his unhealthy snacking -- coupled with a decrease in running and other physical activity -- did him in.
He's not alone, of course. Nearly 70 percent of students put on pounds between the start of college and the end of their sophomore year, according to a study published in the Journal of American College Health. While the weight they gain is typically more like 8 pounds than 15, the phenomenon still exists, and the culprits are many.
"The strongest factors are on-campus residency and decreased physical activity," says Laura Buxenbaum, nutrition communications program manager for the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association.
"Eating in the dining hall with those all-you-can-eat meal plans is a problem. I do think dining halls are getting much better at offering healthy options, but they still have pizza. Hectic schedules and social eating are problems, too, and one of the biggest culprits is late-night snacking. Students take in about 500 extra calories between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. -- I remember all those late-night pizzas -- and the problem is that they're not burning it off, they're just going to sleep."
Other factors contributing to students' weight gain include choosing unhealthy food options, not getting enough sleep, eating out of stress, skipping breakfast and bingeing on unhealthy foods, according to Lynda Noffsinger, director of counseling services at HPU.
The key, Noffsinger says, is to eat moderately and exercise regularly.
Buxenbaum agrees, pointing out that it's important for students to eat nutrient-rich foods.
"Nutrient-rich foods are going to provide more nutrition bang for your calorie bucks, so we suggest dairy foods like milk, cheese and yogurt," she says.
She also recommends students stock their dorm rooms with healthy snacks, such as baby carrots, celery, hummus, fresh fruit, animal crackers, canned fruit, cereal and popcorn.
The other part of the equation, of course, is exercise.
"Walking or biking to class rather than taking the bus is a good idea," Buxenbaum says. "Most colleges have gyms and wellness centers, and they offer classes like yoga and cardio kickboxing, which are a great way to keep weight down and reduce the stress that comes with your first year of college."
HPU offers those types of classes, as well as more than 20 intramural sports and at least that many club sports, according to Chris Dudley, vice president of administration at HPU.
In addition, the school tries to emphasize healthy eating options at its 11 food service locations on campus, Dudley says. The school's Just4U nutritional program helps students identify healthy options, such as foods that are steamed, baked, fat-free or low-fat, whole-grain and/or salt-free.
"Healthy options are among the most important and asked-for requests that we get from our students," Dudley says, "so we're very conscious of having healthy options, and we're very receptive to providing them."
Still, it takes a conscious effort on the students' part to choose those healthy options.
Andrew Faust, who is now a resident assistant at HPU, says poor eating habits are common on campus, especially among freshmen.
"I would say probably 50 to 60 percent of students struggle with this," Faust says. "I mean, you have the freedom to eat whatever you want, and you have the freedom to not work out. If you're not careful, it's easy to gain weight."
jtomlin@hpe.com -- 888-3579
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