Gaining the 'freshman 15'

Gaining 30 pounds in her freshman year of college made Molly Cashion feel "lazy" and "bugged out."

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga transfer student blames her weight gain on "poor eating habits, easy access to food, no set meal times, a lot of carb loading and not a lot of vegetables because "the ones at school don't taste good."

A July 2009 article in The Nutrition Journal stated that nearly one-quarter of young adults observed in a study on health-related behaviors among college students gained a significant amount of weight.

There are several reasons behind the dreaded "Freshman 15," according to both experts and students themselves.

"All of a sudden, they're out on their own, having to make their own decisions and not in as structured an environment as they were," Chattanooga nutritionist Patrick Wortman said. "A lot of times, eating patterns change. You're not going to go out for a salad at 2 a.m."

Nicholas Ibarra, a nursing student at Dalton State College, said short breaks between classes don't allow time to go eat a meal.

"It's a lot easier to just grab some chips," he said.

When he does have time to spare, Mr. Ibarra said, options are Chick-fil-A, pizza and fried foods, with a limited selection of healthy choices.

Dr. Roxana Begum, a professor in the department of health and human performance at UTC, said college students learning to manage their time often let nutrition concerns fall by the wayside.

"(Students) don't have time to prepare fresh food the way they had at home," she said. "They cannot maintain a proper schedule, and they end up snacking a lot."

Vending machines often provide meals on the run, she said.

Late-night study sessions, while a tried-and-true college tradition, often are unkind to the waistline.

"You have your friends with you, you're up late at night and it's much easier to fall into eating late at night and eating unhealthy things," said Audrey Cooper, a senior at Southern Adventist University. "The sort of things I would keep in my dorm room were chips and M&Ms as opposed to lettuce and bananas."

Ms. Cooper, who has lived at home for the past two years, said she finds it much easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle away from campus.

The UTC University Center also features Chick-fil-A and pizza, as well as a Quiznos sandwich shop and cakes, though there is a salad bar and a sushi station.

"There are some healthy options, but they're limited," said Jason Peter, a member of the university's Food and Nutrition Club.

Limited cash flow also presents a challenge to college students trying to eat right.

"We don't have all the money in the world to go buy the healthiest food in the world," UTC student Greg Koch said. In attempts to stay on budget, he said, students resort to cheap-and-filling options such as "massive beef logs and Ramen (noodles), obviously."

Mr. Koch gained about 40 pounds his freshman year, he said, by not being as active as he'd been in high school.

Ms. Cashion, now a senior, has lost about 20 pounds over the last two years, much of which she credits to joining the rowing team. She made a decision to limit her late-night eating and unnecessary snacking.

"I always eat breakfast. That's something I didn't used to do," she said. "A lot of (the weight) came off naturally, just being more active."