Des Moines Register
11-27-06
Studies: 'Freshman 15' hits sophomores, too
The weight gain is spread over two years; men pack on more than women
By ERIN JORDAN
REGISTER IOWA CITY BUREAU
Andrew Edmark moves through the Burge Marketplace, scanning the offerings:
Nachos, pasta carbonara, egg rolls, freshly carved roast beef and peanut butter
cookies, among dozens of options.
He grabs two bowls and fills one with salad and another with penne pasta and
red sauce. With a glass of juice, Edmark, a University of Iowa freshman from
Bettendorf, sits down for lunch.
"I'm working on trying to cut down," said the cinema major. "Burge (Residence)
Hall is unlimited food, so that doesn't help."
Iowa college students who may have stuffed themselves with Thanksgiving
turkey, green bean casserole and pecan pie should consider two new studies
that indicate college students may not be gaining a full 15 pounds as freshmen
but are continuing to pack on pounds as sophomores.
"Some of the change the first year is eating in the residence halls," said Kathy
Mellen, a dietitian with U of I Student Health Services. "After the freshman year,
many students live off campus. Again it's a new eating experience."
Results of two of the largest and longest studies ever done of weight gain among
college students show the "Freshman 15" is more like 5 to 7 pounds, but it is
followed by the "Sophomore 2 or 3," according to the Associated Press. The
studies, which focused on an unidentified private school in the Northeast and an
unidentified public university in the Midwest, also showed that male students
piled on more pounds than females, the AP reported.
The research rings true for Iowa college students.
"Sounds about right," said Ruth Couture, an Iowa State University senior from
Omaha. "The lifestyle contributes to it. You're not in school eight hours a day so
you have the opportunity to snack."
Sam Christensen, a U of I sophomore biology major from Waterloo, stayed fit in
high school as part of the swim team.
"I swam all the time, so I could eat whatever I wanted," he said. That changed
when Christensen went to college. "I stopped (swimming), but I kept eating and
gained a few pounds," he said.
Christensen has dropped the weight by running and lifting weights several times
a week, he said.
Krista Lewis, a U of I senior from Downers Grove, Ill., said dormitory living was
an adjustment her freshman year.
"Living in the dorms, the whole buffet style of food is really hard if you can't
control yourself. I had to learn to start taking smaller portions," said the math and
education major.
Other factors contributing to college weight gain are dining out more and drinking
alcohol, Mellen said.
College students and their parents are often worried about weight gain sometimes unnecessarily, Mellen said.
Sixty-two percent of male and female U of I students surveyed in October said
they would like to lose weight, according to U of I Student Health. Eighty percent
of women surveyed said they wanted to lose weight, but of women who listed
their height and weight, about 70 percent had a healthy body-mass index, Mellen
said.
"Maybe what we need to be focusing on more are healthy habits," she said.
Good habits include controlling food portions, substituting fruits and veggies for
some high-calorie foods, and getting regular exercise - which doesn't have to be
pounding away at a treadmill, Mellen said. Students should find activities they
enjoy, such as disc golf or walking with friends.
Students also should try to get more sleep and seek help with stress, Mellen
said. Thanksgiving break gives many students the breather they need to return
for two more weeks of class that lead up to final exams.
"Thanksgiving to me now is going home, getting a break from class and seeing
family," Edmark said.
Reporter Erin Jordan can be reached at (319) 351-6527 or ejordan@dmreg.com