How To Handle the 'Freshman 15'

By GalTime Teen Expert Barbara Greenberg, Ph.D.

We drop our kids off at college with lots of heavy luggage and, yes, they probably over-packed. What we sometimes fail to remember from our own college experiences is that they are likely to return home with even heavier luggage. You see along with making new friends and gaining lots of new experiences and ideas during their freshman year they also gain something that they are not too happy about. I am referring to the Freshman 15 -- the all-too-common extra 15 pounds that they pack on during their first year at college.

According to Utah State researchers, one out of every four college freshmen puts on about this amount of weight during the first semester at college. Think about it -- going to the cafeteria is like being on a cruise in terms of the all you-can-eat availability of food. Also, in an effort to avoid doing other things, it is easy to sit in the cafeteria chatting with friends and sampling the cuisine.

Related: Help! My Teen Is a Junk Food Junkie

And when they are up late into the night socializing or studying it is very tempting to engage in what my psychology professor referred to as "adjunct behavior," which is behavior that accompanies others like studying, reading etc. In many cases, the eating serves to reduce anxiety. I would be remiss if I failed to mention beer drinking as a contributing factor to the infamous Freshman 15.

I remember coming home after my first semester at college. Yes, it had been a wonderful and exciting time. And no, I could no longer zip up my jeans. I remember lying on the floor sweating in an attempt to facilitate this effort. It was just not happening. The good part was that after that first semester I did introduce balance into my college life and made regular exercise a priority . This has served me well in that I have retained this balance well into my adult life.

Related: Get Fit Without Hitting the Gym

As parents, you are probably wondering what the message for you is here. I recommend nothing more than a gentle reminder to your college kid to try to make healthy decisions about food choices and exercise habits. Anything other than that is likely to be perceived as nagging and controlling.

They, like many before them, will learn about the importance of healthy habits. Sadly, they will have to learn it the hard way. You might, however, want to be kind about the whole situation and not point out their extra baggage. I can assure you that these extra pounds are not lost on them. Do be prepared, though, to buy them a pair of appropriately fitting jeans during this transitional period. Nothing is gained by criticizing them.

Did you gain the Freshman 15 and how did you deal with it?