The freshman fifteen is a belief that students in their first year of college gain fifteen pounds. However, is the estimated weight gain of fifteen pounds actually accurate, and what would the cause of this weight gain be? Students typically gain weight their first year of college for various reasons. Some of the reasons that they gain weight are because they can't afford healthy food, they do not know how to cook, they do not have time to exercise, and they do not have time to make a proper meal.
To begin with, one of the main causes for students gaining the freshman fifteen is because they do not have the money. Healthy food has a tendency to be more expensive than junk food, so naturally students go for the junk food. It is hard to make healthy food a priority when you are trying to pay your tuition. Students have to cut back on working as much because of school and making sure that their grades don't slip, which means they are not bringing in as much money; low income means budget cuts.
Secondly, students not knowing how to cook is a cause for the freshman fifteen. Most freshman are living on their own for the first time and need to learn how to do things on their own; they do not have their parents running around doing everything for them anymore. The majority of students grew up having their parents make all of their meals for
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Finding time to eat in college can sometimes be a challenge. It is a new environment, sometimes you feel rushed, and you may even have a heavy and hectic schedule. While you are on the run, it is normally easiest to grab something while you're out; fast food is something that is consumed a lot. This becomes a habit and an everyday recurrence, which is very unhealthy for you. When this becomes a routine it is easy to loose track and the weight starts piling on; the monstrous freshman
...College students are the next generation of food consumers just starting to purchase and prepare their own food, setting purchasing habits that will follow them into their lives as they start their own careers. These habits will shape what food is in demand, and therefore what food is produced. Not only do college students hold financial power over the future economy, but they must make the decision of whether to become the next unhealthy generation, that will also indoctrinate their children to accept the level of food quality that is currently labeled as junk food as a standard level quality of food.
One factor of the freshman 15 is the student’s living environment. Students living on campus in residence halls are more prone to weight gain than students living at home with their parents or off campus (Provencher et al., 2009). This is due to the availability of food on campus at various universities that studies were held. While students living at home with their parents often have home cooked meals, often dining halls in college campuses serve food with an all-you-can eat buffet style, where students are free to eat as much as they like. Students living away from ...
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 not going to gain fifteen pounds. However I believe that it is possible and it is a problem for many college students. College life completely changes eating habits among college students. Most students do not make the right choices about eating and exercising. College students across the country are severely unhealthy in their behaviors, and for some students the “Freshman 15” may be a reality.
With an unlimited meal plan and buffet-style meals, do we students know how big our portions should be? If we are accustomed to being served super-sized portions, we might not realize when we are serving ourselves over-sized portions in our dining halls. In fact, researchers have found that increased portion size is an even greater problem in cafeteria settings like ours, noting a positive association between larger food receptacles and increased consumption(2). A correlational study at Cornell found significant weight gain in freshmen during the first twelve weeks of school and identified that both the “all-you-can-eat” dining hall style and student snacking on “junk-food” were key variables explaining a positive linear relationship with weight gai...
It depends on what specific situation the student is stuck in to determine which foods they 're living off. My assumption of their daily meals is first, breakfast is one piece of fruit and a breakfast sandwich from a fast-food joint. Then, lunch or dinner is one entree of pizza, fried chicken, or a burger. Occasionally the student may snack off a bag of chips or a candy bar, but other than that, I can’t say that most students are eating healthy; I’ve seen at my college snacking mostly on chips while taking a break from class. Luckily, there some solutions to help to change the eating habits of the students. I discovered in Victoria Li’s article “Easy Diets for College Students” some helpful tips for the struggling students. She suggests “While opting for burgers fresh off the grill seems tempting, adhere to the habit of filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables, then filling the remainder with whole grains and lean protein” (2). In other words, it’s okay to have a greasy burger, but just as long you have something healthy to go with it, leading to a good balance of protein and energy Li says. As for the students going hungry because of their tight budget, some colleges or nearby locations may have meal donors. Li mentions in her article about the importance of not skipping meals as she says “Feeling famished due
Starting college life is far from difficult; in fact it is fun starting a new way of life. Life without the constant objections from your parents and annoyance from your little sibling is one of the many advantages you gain from college. Cancelled classes, late night parties and deleterious amounts of food make college enjoyable; however, this can lead to weight gain. “Freshman 15” is not a myth and although you may not be unfortunate enough to gain 15 pounds, you might gain some weight. To avoid gaining weight, freshmen should eat healthy, avoid alcohol, and maintain a positive moral.
According to the article, “"Fitness Programs | Top Ten Tips to Avoid the "Freshmen 15"," studies show that those who skip breakfast are more likely to add on weight. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it helps boost an individual’s brain activity. “A good breakfast provides the blood sugar boost necessary for formulating the memory-boosting neurotransmitter acetylcholine” (qtd. Kratsas). Even Van Horn, Ph.D., a registered dietitian and professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University, mentioned in “Is 3 Meals a Day the Only Way?,” states that, “Those who forego breakfast, eat little or no lunch and then consume a large evening meal tend to have higher
For students who refuse to be part of the stereotype, or gain weight at all throughout their college years, skipping meals and dieting comes into play. Eating disorders can plague students as well. According to The Kellogg Report: the impact of nutrition, environment, and lifestyle on the health of Americans, without the more watchful eye of a parent, students with eating disorders may be more apt to go unnoticed for a longer period of time.
Thousands of college students eat more than one meal in the dining hall each day. In most colleges, such as UC Berkeley and UC Riverside, the dining halls are buffet style. Students are able to choose their own food and get as many plates they want. Dorm food is often unhealthy because the cafeteria serves various fried and processed foods. They also offer a dessert bar with unlimited cookies and ice cream. These desserts are often high in sugar and calories. Eating one cookie and a bowl (or a cone) of ice cream can contain over twenty-five grams of fat and sugar (Calorie King). Although many people think that eating one cookie or a little ice cream won’t hurt, it can become harmful in the long run. With students taking in all the sugar, the wrong kind of energy is being stored. It will only give students a sudden burst of energy—a sugar rush—and then make them “crash” or be even more tired than before. All these unhealthy options and easy availability of greasy and sugary foods for students can affect how well students do in school.
A well balanced diet is the cornerstone to a healthy lifestyle, yet many college students believe they don’t have the time or money to eat healthy meals on a regular basis. This belief often drives students to choose the cheapest and quickest food options available, these junk foods generally offer little to no nutrition (Miller). Many students also end up gaining weight over the course of their college years, because the majority of the foods they consume are high in empty calories and fats (Miller). There are many ways to improve a person’s diet, most of which require little effort and less money than one would expect. One of these options is making sure to drink a large amount of water, which “can help boost … concentration as well as keep you from overeating” (101 Health). Another way to maintain a good diet is remembering not to “skip meals,” eating three meals a day is good for a person’s health, furthermore it’s suggested that you partake in healthy snacks throughout the day ...
The legendary “freshman 15 “can now be renamed “myth 15 “. Since reports, statistics, and facts show that you really do not again 15 pounds your first year when you off to college. The problem is not properly categorized, is not relevant to the situation of weight gain but about creating a healthy lifestyle habits. College is the opportunity to explore and find your career path for the real world. Just like anything else you have to structure what you eat and know what you are putting in your body. Everything should be done in moderation.
There are many things that could be done in colleges to promote a healthy lifestyle; colleges should change their menus to promote healthy eating, there should be a large stress gym class but it should not be forced, and healthy sleep schedules should be promoted. Typically, meals served to large crowds tend to be unhealthy and lacking in the proper nutrients. one of the most important aspects in staying healthy is eating right; if colleges' menus are modified to be healthier and more balanced, many students would become healthier. Furthermore, if colleges would make their meals more appealing, students would eat much less fast food, a major cause of obesity. Another thing colleges can do is promote gym class; if it is largely publicized, more
Regarding the students surveyed, from Figure 1.1, the average students probably eat out at a fast food restaurant 1-2 times per week around 31 percent, closely followed by around 61 percent who indicated 3-6 times per week. From the surveyed Figure 1.2 finding, there are many reasons have caused students to eat out such as advertisement and restaurant discount promotions. Fast-food restaurants have become very common, and are visited by all types of people. The growth and popularity of fast food has come to be known as the "McDonaldization" of America. (Judith C. Rodriguez)
People eat food every day without thinking twice about it, because it is a necessity for us to live. How often do you think about what is in the foods that you eat? How many calories does it have? Are there any vitamins and minerals in it? Is it high in fat? For most of us and especially college students who live a busy life on the go, the answer to that question is probably no. Since becoming a recent graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania Academy of Culinary Arts, I have been more interested in food and what people are eating. Also since more young Americans are becoming obese I want to find out what they are eating and where. Going to college and seeing how students have poor eating habits I want to find out why they are eating this way. Is it because they are away from home for the first time? Or is it because that is the only food that is available for them? I also want to find out if students would eat healthier if it was provided for them? My hypothesis is that students eat unhealthy because it is more convenient for them. There is usually no time to cook a homemade meal and most college students are always in a hurry so it is easier to pick up takeout. Also most college students don’t know how to cook. I also believe that most college students don’t care if the food is unhealthy for them, as long as it tastes good. Hopefully, in the following pages I will uncover the wide world of college eating.
There are many demands placed upon high school students. For example, high school students are obligated, or rather forced by law to attend school until the age of eighteen and they are required to do and turn in their homework. Even if you fail a class, students are required to take that class over until they pass; students have no choice, they must do the work or go to summer school. They are required to be a full time student, which means they have to take the necessary classes each semester, which usually consists of six to eight classes. However, there are few demands in college. The number one demand in college is that a student must pay their tuition on time. College students possess the right to decide if they want to show up for class or not. They can fail a class and not make it up and they do not have to turn in their homework if they do not feel like it. There is no law stating that a college student must attend class, be a full time student, turn in homework and pass each class. To a college student, the demand of attaining a higher education or graduating is completely up to that person.