Help Your Teen to Avoid the Freshman 15
Offer your teen these four tips on smart food choices for healthy living in college.
Oct 25, 2011
Apr 26, 2022
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Here's some food for thought: a study of college students done by Tufts University found that 27 percent were overweight, 27 percent had at least one component of metabolic syndrome and 12 percent had high total cholesterol levels. These dangerous signs mean that many college students are eating their way to serious health problems. Offer your teen these four tips (click here for a printable version).
Smart Food Choices for Healthy College Living
Being at college offers you the freedom to make food decisions, from what you'll eat to when you'll eat it. If you use that freedom wisely, the leftover sushi won't get you (as in food poisoning), nor will the dreaded "freshman 15" (the mythical 15 pounds freshmen are said to gain; most males gain an average of 6 pounds, and females gain an average of 4.5 pounds). And, who knows, you could wind up healthier than when you arrived. Here are some tips to help you choose healthfully, to benefit both your body and your brain:
Tip # 1: Eat What Your Body Needs
For good health, eat grains (bread, cereal, rice, pasta), vegetables, fruits, milk (also yogurt, cheese), and meat or beans every day. A study of University of New Hampshire students revealed that 95 percent of undergraduate women were not meeting their daily fiber needs, and one-fifth or more were falling short on nutritional intake of iron, calcium and folate. Other studies have shown that college students rarely eat enough fruits and vegetables. According to the USDA analysis of nutritional needs (www.mypyramid.gov), the more active you are, the more you can eat.
Gals: What You Need to Eat
A 19-year-old female who exercises less than 30 minutes most days should eat:
(Note: Since fruits, vegetables, meats and beans vary in calorie count, this is an estimate of the foods and amounts that will total 2,000 to 2,200 calories. For more accurate calorie totals, check the calorie counts of the foods you are eating at the USDA Nutrient Database: www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search).
Guys: What You Need to Eat
A 19-year-old male who exercises less than 30 minutes most days should eat:
(Note: Since fruits, vegetables, meats and beans vary in calorie count, this is an estimate of the foods and amounts that will total 2,600 to 2,800 calories. For more accurate calorie totals, check the calorie counts of the foods you are eating at the USDA Nutrient Database: www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search).
Tip # 2: Learn How to Navigate the Dining Hall
Most campus food services have options for lower fat eating, including baked, broiled or grilled entrées. Many offer vegetarian main dishes as well. Before choosing what to eat, look at all selections offered. Begin by filling at least half your plate with vegetables and fruits. (Eat salad before a meal and you'll cut the total calories you eat, research from Pennsylvania State University found.) Other pointers for navigating the dining hall:
Tip # 3: Avoid Freshman 15 Outside the Dining Hall
Stress, irregular schedules, parties and the freedom to eat French fries smothered in cheese sauce whenever you want to—all these are reasons why first-year college students sometimes gain weight. Most don't actually add 15 pounds, as the name of this phenomenon implies, but one study out of Tufts University showed freshmen women gaining 4.5 pounds and men gaining up to 6 pounds. Some tips:
Tip # 4: Don't Let the Leftover Sushi Get You
Eating in dining halls and group settings can expose you to illnesses from foods. Problems are caused by poor refrigeration, contamination during preparation or undercooking.