Freshman 15 is just a myth, claims research

A new US-wide study has concluded that Freshmen gain an average of just 2.5-3.5lbs while in their first year at college, as opposed to ‘the freshman 15’ as traditionally expected.One of the report’s authors, Jay Zagorsky claims that the media has in fact made up the freshman 15 myth and that college students tend only to gain around a pound and a half more than someone of their age who doesn’t go to college.The researchers at Ohio State University also claim that the extra pounds are not down to weight gain in the typical sense, but is instead simply liked to natural age and lifestyle factors. Zagorska said, "Most students don't gain large amounts of weight. And it is not college that leads to weight gain – it is becoming a young adult."Mr Zagorska added that the use of the term freshman 15, which can easily be abused by firms marketing weight-loss products and gym memberships to students, could contribute to the view among young female freshmen that they are overweight, contributing to eating disorders. The researchers found that just ten per cent of students gain 15 pounds in their first year at university.

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