Before coming to college, I was warned about the infamous “freshman fifteen,” in which it is almost inevitable to gain fifteen pounds during their first year. Many theories float around as to why this phenomenon actually happens. Is it because of the lack of healthy food on campus? Is it because many organizations and campus events offer free food almost everyday of the week? Is it because fast food is cheaper and more convenient than healthier options? One study, published in the SLEEP journal, theorizes that a lack of sleep causes an individual to be hungrier and crave ‘bad’ foods, thus resulting in an increase in obesity in younger populations that lack sleep (Bromwich, 2016). It is hypothesized that the same receptors activated by marijuana lead to the unhealthy cravings in sleep-deprived individuals. …show more content…
The endocannabinoid system helps to regulate stress, pain and immune responses. Originally, the effect on this system was researched by studying marijuana, and the munchies, cravings that come from using marijuana (Bromwich, 2016). This topic is one that mostly all college students, including myself, and working professionals can relate to in some way. According to Bromwich (2016), “nearly 30 percent of adults said that they slept six hours or less per day” and “more than two in three Americans over the age of 20 are either overweight or obese”. The topics of sleep and hunger in the college setting are frequently discussed with others, and it seems many people don’t actually know why pulling all-nighters, or only getting two hours of sleep can be detrimental to us in many
Desai, William C. Miller, Betty Staples and Terrill Bravender. I believed that this was a credible source because all of the authors have a medical degree. This article provided similar data saying that the percentage of people ages 12 to 19 who were overweight or obese rapidly increased from 5% to 17% between 1976 and 2002 (Desai 109). From this document I learned that college years are known to influence the forms of our adult behaviors including diet, physical activity, and other habits. Being a college student, I knew that college was going to change my work ethic and ability to do achieve new responsibilities but I did not know that it could actually greatly affect our weight. In the source it states that results from “both the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey" show that the transition to adulthood, a high number of people become obese and remain obese (Desai 109). One way I thought of this transformation was the freshman fifteen. The source was able to identify patterns of obesity but they still have not fully discovered examples of obese behaviors. However, the authors of this paper were able to perform a study to at least suggest some examples of behaviors related to obesity. They examined data collected from an electronic survey
Experts who study the concept of the “Freshman 15” are deeply divided in their findings. Some downplay the significance of the problem of freshman weight gain, basing their findings only on the average weight gain among college students. In a study done by the Journal of American College Health, found that of the 59 percent of students who gained weight the average increase was only 4.6 pounds. They concluded their study by stating that they believed the Freshman 15 is a myth, based upon that premise (Graham, and Jones). The truth is that fifty-nine percent of the students studied did gain weight, and not all students are going to gain exactly fifteen pounds. Other experts do however believe that weight gain among college freshman is a very serious problem. Registered dietitian Ann Selkowitz Litt recently authored, “The College Students Guide to Eating Well on Campus,” which is designed to help college students make the right eating choices. On an online chat with several college students on USA Today’s website she stated that “College students now are gaining the "freshman 20" or "freshman 25.” She blames the growing problem on erratic eating habits, the drinking large quantities of alcoh...
[3] Levitsky, D. A., C. A. Halbmaier, and G. Mrdjenovic. “The Freshman Weight Gain: A Model for the Study of the Epidemic of Obesity.” International Journal of Obesity28.11 (2004): 1435-442. Print.
The first and most obvious reason for weight gain is food. College cafeterias are smorgasbords of hot, greasy, fatty, empty calorie foods. At Seton Hall University, all freshmen are required to purchase a meal plan that comes with various amounts of Pirate dollars that can only be used on food. These Pirate Dollars are equal to one dollar and students are given an overage each semester. In order to avoid losing money, many students use these dollars to buy snacks in between all three meals. At the end of the year, the money is not refundable, so students must splurge once again in order to avoid throwing away their money. Whether students’ classes are far apart or back to back, they are likely to stuff themselves because they need to prepare to sit through about 3 or more hours of lecture, or their next class isn’t for another two or three hours and they plan to eat and “take a quick catnap.
Derek Bryan in “Reasons People Eat Junk Food Instead of Healthy Food” believes people eat fast food because many have a mild physical addiction to it. Bryan tells us that this addiction is the result of a lack of sleep, and easing anxiety caused by the fast-paced culture that obese people may live in. When determining the primary factor as to why, Bryan delved into some of the psychology of those who lack sleep. Reminding us of how the decision-making process of the brain is not optimal when sleep deprived, Bryan told us how those that are deficient in sleep tend to go for instant gratification and not
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 ...
All college students have heard of the dreaded “freshman fifteen.” The majority of students see it as inevitability. This college curse is caused by a drastic change in lifestyle and eating habits. College students are more likely to eat unhealthy food and less likely to exercise. However, steps can be taken to avoid needless weight gain. Despite the hectic lifestyles of teens, they know that a balance of exercise and good nutrition is the key to health.
One of the first thing a freshman hears or thinks about when going to college is the legendary “freshman fifteen.” The freshman fifteen is defined as a fifteen pound average weight gain that happens during a student’s first year in college. This problem has affected many freshmen because it causes them to fear that they are going to gain weight when they go off to college, but the undetected truth of this case is that a lot of freshmen lose or gain under fifteen pounds. To solve this ongoing problem, colleges and universities should incorporate more healthy food items on campus, provide student cooking, and create fitness and wellness housing.
Many college students experience the Freshman 15 while being in their first year of college, hence the fifteen pounds that freshmen are supposedly going to gain. Each and every person might experience weight gain differently throughout their life. The Freshman 15 is always an important conflict to stay away from. Throughout our busy college lives many students experience a lack of free time to do what they want. Many people put off their free time due to spending so much time on school work. There is practically no time to do anything else. The Freshman 15 could easily creep up on anyone at any time no matter how or what the situation is. This could have a long term effect on the per...
Fast food restaurants or fast food in general is becoming an issue. America does not seem to realize is that there are several reasons why fast food restaurants are not the best choice for people. What these restaurants are actually doing is breaking family bonding, increasing obesity, and wasting money. Being healthy is a choice a person has to make themselves. America should not want to continue to harm others with the selections they give out. Choices should always be made wisely.
College students struggle to find accessible healthy meals. This inaccessibility may derive from insufficient funds, scheduling or the inability to cook. In Owensboro, the cheapest foods tend to contain additives and unnecessary byproducts. Healthy foods sit on the shelves, students struggle to afford the fresh foods or cannot cook with them. A young person may leave healthy options at the store for convenience food sources often results in said person eating an unhealthy diet. Finding healthy foods with a college time schedule and budget presents a challenge to many students. Students attempting to eat healthy on a shoestring budget, and cook a meal on a tight schedule often give up. Many surveyed college students eat less than 2 servings of vegetables a day (Rao 1). During their college years college students develop eating habits that can follow them throughout their lives. Eating fruits and vegetables contributes to healthy young adults and possibly promotes emotional well-being (White 1). Many college students eat out because it is cheaper and faster than eating at home. Processed foods tend be more available and cheaper, activly going out and buying better foods tends to be more expensive.
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).
Fast food in the past 50-60 years has had a major impact on American Culture, and it still has that same impact in present America. It is safe to say that fast food has become an outlet as far as Americans diets are concerned. It, in some cases, has taken over some lives, as some Americans eat fast food on a daily basis. Since the fast food industry has been growing dramatically in the past couple of decades, America as a whole has suffered some setbacks as it pertains to Health and a stable lifestyle. One of those fatty foods that is popular in American Culture is Hamburgers. The first hamburger that was made came in the early 20th century. Hamburgers started to become popular in the 1950s-1960s, due to the fact that as American lifestyles were changing rapidly, and Americans did not have the time to make meals at their home. Hamburger has become one of the most popular foods today in America.
One of the problems that cause weight gain is the lack of parental supervision over what the student consumes. In college, a student can easily stock themselves in fatty snacks such as Twinkies, cookies, chocolate, and chips. Also, the all-you-can-eat buffet seems to most likely run out of the pizza, french fries, and ice cream before the salad. A students schedule sometimes plays a factor in the consuming of too many snacks. If a student is in a hurry, he or she will grab a pop tart and be out of the door with a 200 calorie breakfast. A student should keep away from the high-fat snacks and concentrate on salubrious foods. At the cafeteria, a student should try to eat salads and attempt to eat new kinds of foods since the buffet has so much to offer. And for food on-the-go, one should try to buy healthy snacks or try to wake up earlier ...
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.