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[Reflect] Make connections: The freshman fifteen.

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Have you ever heard of the “freshman fifteen?” The phrase refers to the fact that many college students gain weight in their first year of college. Although most first-year students don’t gain fifteen pounds, current research shows that female students gain an average of seven to nine pounds and male students an average of twelve to thirteen pounds during their college career. Some researchers attribute this weight gain to increased alcohol consumption, all-you-can-eat campus cafeterias, around-the-clock socializing, and even the stress of writing papers and studying for exams. These are “environmental” causes similar to those Goode discusses in her essay, such as portion size and price. Other environmental causes might be the kinds of foods available at places where students congregate and socialize—for example, fast-food restaurants, coffee shops, and sports arenas.

Consider your eating habits. Your instructor may ask you to post your thoughts on a class discussion board or to discuss them with other students in class. Use these questions to get started:

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Do you tend to eat and drink more than you normally would when you are with a group of friends? Are the foods you eat more or less healthy when you are with friends?
Some cities require restaurants to list the calories in the foods they serve; Goode, however, reports University of Minnesota studies showing that nutritional labeling is less of an influence on people than price (par. 3). Would caloric or nutritional information change what you order, or is price, habit, or something else more important?

[Reflect] Make connections: The freshman fifteen.

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