College freshmen can breathe a sigh of relief. The term "Freshman 15" has been used for years, but a new study from the University of Toronto found that it's a little misleading.
"It's what one would normally think of when a freshmen comes to college and is faced with making choices on their own in a dining facility that has many, many things to choose from," explained Kansas State University Dining Center Director, Sheryl Klobasa.
According to the study, while the majority of the 500 students did gain weight-it was usually ten pounds or less.
Klobasa,who was not involved in the study, says the weight gain happens when students are given lots of new food options and then overeat. However, the weight gain can be avoided. students just need to make healthy choices.
"Many times dining centers have a reputation for serving high-fat, high-calorie food and we do serve some of that, I won't deny that, but there are also many, many options that you could choose that are not high-calorie, not high-fat. You can eat a very nicely balanced diet," explained Klobasa.
Klobasa says another reason for the weight gain is that college students aren't as active as they were in high school. To keep those extra pounds off, she suggests getting involved in sports or working out.