College can be a time for personal and academic growth, but students may grow in other unwanted ways. Ask anyone who has experienced the freshman 15.

The freshman 15 supposes that college freshmen gain 15 pounds during their first year at school. However, this does not hold true for most students.

“The freshman 15 is largely a myth,” said John Bobalik, an exercise physiologist who is the Fitness Center director. “There is no actual published research data or scientific studies to back up the claims made by the freshman 15.

“The published research studies that are out there indicate that the 15-pound predicted weight gain is way off,” he said. “A study by the National Center of Biotechnology Information found that freshmen, on average, gain 3 to 5 pounds the first year. Additionally, the study reported that 33% of the students had no change in weight and 15% actually lost weight.”

Those studies did find that over half of students did gain some weight – though it’s not clear why.

“The main contributing factors for weight gain is a change in lifestyle habits from high school during the first year of college,” says Bobalik. “There’s more sitting time — some of it spent studying, much of it spent playing video games, surfing on the computer, watching Netflix or texting with friends on the phone.  

“Eating habits for many first-years students are a big adjustment: eating dorm food with no limits on seconds, eating fast food late at night, becoming less physically active and not taking the time to exercise,” he said.

Being away from home for the first time may result in a sense of dietary freedom. For some, a lack of parental guidance and restrictions regarding food could lead to the development of poor eating habits. For others, the temptation of eating junk food and ditching the gym is not an issue.

“I was a cook growing up so I was cooking my own healthy meals [my freshman year],” said junior Alexander Dyrkacz. “I was also fairly active, going to volleyball on the weekends and other days too.”.

But some students are not able to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Despite being free for students, fitness center gym memberships are being underutilized especially during the fall semester.

“More students use the fitness center at the beginning of the spring semester. Attendance fades again after spring break,” says Bobalik.

The freshman 15 may not be an issue, but unwanted weight gain and unhealthy living are. Students struggling to maintain a healthy lifestyle may want to consider using the fitness center more frequently. Exercising a little every day and making slightly better dietary choices can make a big difference as long as you are consistent.

“For students trying to lose weight, it gets down to basics: move more, sit less and follow a healthy diet,” said Bobalik. “Progress and success are based on making permanent and consistent lifestyle changes. You have to be willing to stick with it to see and maintain results.”