Canada AM nutrition expert - Do all kids gain weight during their first year at university?
Many do gain weight, yes. One study conducted by Cornell University researchers revealed that freshmen students gained an average of 4.2 pounds during their first three months at school. That may not sound like much, but it's roughly 11 times the weight gain expected for an 18 year-old. What's more, those the extra pounds can accumulate over the course of the school year.
A recent Canadian study from Guelph University found that female students gained, on average, 5.3 pounds September through March. Again, while five pounds might not sound alarming, this increase happened over a period of just six to seven months.
But I also see young men and women in my private practice who gain considerably more during their first year – 15 to 20 pounds. By the time May rolls around, they need help taking it off and strategizing their food intake for the next school year.
Why is it so easy for first year university students to gain weight?
There are a few culprits. The first year away at university means you're free to eat what you want, when you want, and often, as much as you want. It's easy to pile on portions of starchy foods in dining halls, eat fast foods at every meal, and fuel late-night study sessions with sugary and salty snacks.
Snacking at night is a big contributor to first year weight gain. Regardless of what type of meal plan students have, they are bound to plenty of snacks in their dorm room. A study last year found that a university student had 22,000 calories worth of snacks in his or her dorm room!! More than 70 per cent of students had salty snacks, granola bars, desserts, candy, and sugary beverages. Fewer had fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and low calorie drinks.
Many students also have less time to exercise due to heavy course loads. Eating is also a way that students socialize. Don't forget the extra calories consumed at pizza parties and pub nights are often eaten in addition to meals.
How many extra calories are we talking about?
First consider that a first year student, who isn't regularly active, needs anywhere from 1,800 to 2,200 calories per day. Males need more calories than females.
- 3 slices of pizza 750 calories 30 g fat (7.5 tsp butter)
- Poutine 750 calories 47 g fat (12 tsp butter)
- 9 chicken wings 1,800 calories 122 g fat (31 tsp butter)
- Large fries 550 calories 25 grams fat (6 tsp. worth of butter)
- Beer, 2 pints 510 calories
So let's say a couple slices of pizza and two pints of beer add 1,000 calories to a freshman's diet -- half a day's worth of calories. And if those calories are consumed late at night, they are added to a day's worth of foods. When that food is eaten late at night, your body isn't as efficient at burning those calories as it is earlier in the day. Plus, a late night binge can make you feel full the next morning which makes it likely you'll skip breakfast.
Candy, ice cream and sweets tend to be more popular with females. These calories add up surprisingly fast too.
OK, so what are some tips to prevent the freshman 15?
College weight gain is not inevitable. There are ways to prevent gaining weight first year.
- Establish an eating schedule. Get into a regular pattern of eating breakfast, lunch and dinner to help keep your blood sugar level stable, prevent hunger and curb cravings.
- Practice portion control. Just because the food is in front of you, and already paid for, doesn't mean you need to eat it all. Make a trip to the salad bar, before you hit the hot food station. If you have pasta, skip the bread. Ask for a double portion of vegetables instead of high fat mashed potatoes or French fries.
- Snack wisely. Keep healthy snacks in your dorm room. Good choices include yogurt, fresh fruit, nuts, part skim cheese strings, baby carrots and hummus, mini cans of tuna, granola bars, snack size low fat microwave popcorn, and instant bean soups help fill you up without adding excessive calories.
- Consider investing in a small dorm fridge to stock healthy cold snacks. If the dorm has a microwave, keep a selection of low fat frozen entrees on hand in case you can't make it to the dining hall.
- Instead of munching while studying in the evening, try sipping on herbal tea, light hot chocolate or a skim milk latte.
- Limit liquid calories. Beverages like regular pop, fruit drinks, and fruit juice can pile on the calories without filling you up. Quench your thirst with water at meals or one glass of milk or soy milk.
- When socializing with friends, have a plan to limit alcohol calories. A pint of beer has 250 calories, a bottle of regular beer has about 150 calories, and light beers have about 100. To minimize alcohol's appetite-enhancing effect, eat a meal or snack before you go out so you're not tempted to overeat.
