The real skinny on the infamous 'freshman 15'

From the buffet-style cafeterias to late-night snacking, college is full of opportunities to stray from a healthy diet. \nWith this in mind, IU freshman Emily Dunn started to worry about possible weight gain months before she set foot on campus this fall. She planned ways to snack healthy and exercise regularly. She has followed most of the guidelines she set for herself, but still, Dunn has her weaknesses."Late-night snacking gets you," she said. "You just don't want a Nutri-Grain Bar at three in the morning. You want Easy Mac and donuts." \nAlthough late-night snacking often leads to expanded waistlines, Dunn said she has not noticed any weight gain this year. However she is part of the minority. \nFirst-year students gain an average of four pounds during the first three months of their college career -- a rate of gain 11 times higher than the typical weight gain for 18-year-olds -- according to a recent study Cornell University conducted. \nFor some, the weight gain stops at these four pounds. For others, the "freshman 15," a term used to describe the average weight gained during the freshman year of college, is a real concern. Poor eating habits, lack of exercise and the environmental change can result in unwanted weight gain. \nSome students complain that IU does not provide enough healthy options. \nIU freshmen Dane Thomas and Alex Goulet, both members of a health and wellness freshman interest group, complained that it is almost impossible to eat healthily at the food courts. \nToday, almost 70 percent of college students get fewer than the recommended five fruit and vegetable servings each day; about 50 percent do not get enough fiber, 60 percent eat too much saturated fat and nearly 30 percent of female students do not get enough calcium, according to a Tufts University study. \nMany students often steer clear of fruits and fiber. Best-sellers at IU's food courts are pizzas and burgers, said Heidi Boruff, a registered dietitian with IU Residential Programs and Services. Although IU is currently increasing the amount of health foods it offers, the school has to provide the food the most students will buy, she said. And students aren't buying salads and fruit. \nPoor dietary choices are not the only reason for the freshman 15. Lack of exercise also plays a key role in expanded waistlines. \nIn high school, junior Nabeela Virjee spent time working toward her black belt in karate. Once college started, exercise was erased from her to-do list. \n"I was just so overwhelmed with my workload that I never made working out a priority," she said. \nAs a result, Virjee gained almost 12 pounds her first year at IU. \nChange in environment is also a major cause for first-year weight gain, Boruff said. \nThat was the case for senior Amanda Meyer. During her first two years of college, Meyer lived at home and attended IU-Kokomo. When she transferred to IUB last fall, she gained 35 pounds her first year on campus. In Kokomo, Meyer worked at a job that kept her on her feet, but in Bloomington, Meyer didn't work.\nHer nighttime habits changed as well. Kokomo did not have as many bars as Bloomington, she said. She started going out every weekend, sometimes starting her weekend as early as Wednesday. \nShe also said she did not cook for herself at school. At home, she knew what was in her meals and portioned them accordingly. In Bloomington, meals were often doubled or tripled in size, she said. It was not until her brother asked if she was pregnant that Meyer realized the extent of her weight gain. Today, she has lost the weight but still wishes she had prevented the initial gain. \nUniversities have taken notice of this first-year weight gain trend. IU implemented "Eat Wright," a campaign designed to educate and promote healthy eating habits among freshmen. Duke University now offers an interactive nutrition workshop for freshmen, which includes tips on how to eat well in an all-you-can-eat dining hall. The University of Missouri-Columbia revamped its menus in order to provide healthier food options. The school has also created a program for freshmen that teaches them how to make the right dietary choices and discusses the importance of healthy eating and exercise. \nThis trend toward dietary awareness is important, Boruff said. The sooner students begin adopting healthy eating habits, the easier it will be for them to continue those patterns in the future.\n"The habits we start now are the habits we're going to keep for the rest of our lives," she said. \nGetting into a healthy eating and exercise routine now will help students keep the pounds off in the future, she said. \nWorking hard to lose her extra pounds, Virjee said she wishes she had realized the importance of healthy eating habits and a regular exercise routine her first year. She leaves this advice for the thousands of students who accompanied Dunn to campus this year: "Making a transition in life like this is tough," she said. "But make sure you do not forget to take your health into account, even if it might not be convenient. Because once you are out of routine, it is so hard to get back into it"