What is the Freshman 15?

Series Summary

Two words haunt all freshmen in American colleges and universities. Final exams? No. Term papers? Not anymore. Foreign TAs? Nope. The two words that strike fear into all seventeen year-old socialites living away from home for the first time: Freshman 15. Early college weight gain, or the ‘freshman fifteen,’ is common enough to have earned a name and a reputation across the country. When you start college, you are forced to make many decisions about eating habits and activities, and poor decisions made in celebrating new freedoms can stick with you throughout your college career. Besides normal changes in your body that take effect after puberty and during the college years, unhealthy foods, decreased physical activity, stress, and alcohol consumption all lead to packing on the pounds early in college living.

In this free video series, experts Kristen Bryda and Jenny Cooper from Vanderbilt University’s Medical Center will give you loads of advice on avoiding the Freshman 15. These experts answer questions for young adults living on their own for the first time. Causes of early college weight gain, how to monitor your weight, how to exercise with normal activities, and how to eat healthy on campus are all addressed. You will also learn how to keep health foods around your dorm room, what ‘hidden calories’ are and how to avoid them, where to find support, and the dangers of alcohol for your waistline. These girls really know their stuff, and now you will too!

Video Transcript

"Hi! I'm Kristen Bryda here for Expert Village. I'm a dietetic intern at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and I'm here today to talk to you about the freshman 15. What is the freshman 15? The freshman 15 is a common weight-gaining problem among many college freshmen. It's not a disease or a disorder. It's an avoidable issue. Many college freshmen come in and gain between 7-25 pounds within their first year of college. Poor diet and exercise habits that are started in college can continue into adulthood. This can affect your social life and also effect different disorders and diseases later in life such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Pairing unhealthy eating habits with low activity can cause this weight gain. It is an avoidable issue and should be controlled when you're entering college. Choosing unhealthy food can contribute to high calories and low nutrients that you need. In order to keep up your energy and be healthy for your first year of college, you want to make healthy eating choices so this doesn't become a problem for you."