Weighing in

Monday, October 26, 1998

Weighing in

Though many students fear extra pounds during the college years,
experts say good health can be achieved – even on dorm food

By Aimee Phan

Daily Bruin Contributor

Before she was even thinking about what colleges to apply to,
Leah Pate had already learned of the dreaded "freshman 15."

"I first heard about it when I was ten years old," the
second-year English student said. "Teen Magazine would have these
articles about how to avoid gaining so much weight in college."

The "freshman 15" refers to a well-known myth that most college
students gain an average of 15 pounds during their first year of
school.

While most of the scary freshman stories orientation counselors
tell incoming students are false, this common piece of folklore is
real and applies to all universities.

According to Sheri Albert, registered dietician of Student
Health Services, this notorious affliction hits many students for a
variety of reasons.

One of the most obvious is snacking. From buffet-style dorm food
to late-night pizza runs, students have unlimited access to
all-you-can eat binging.

"This is the first time students are on their own," Albert said.
"There is a lot of meal-skipping, late-night snacking and alcohol,
which has an awful lot of calories."

The often scary experience of being away from home for the first
time is also an important factor.

"Students are dealing with all the changes in their lives and
trying to fit in," said Pamela Viele, director of health education
at Student Health Services, "They’re making a lot of
adjustments."

Viele said that many students express concern over their looks,
which makes the "freshman 15" something people want to avoid.

"There is pressure to conform to a particular body image," she
said.

"Students are still becoming the person they want to be. Weight
and appearance are a major part of that."

Pate, who said she knew a lot of people who gained weight their
first year, had resolved early on not to fall into that trap. But
even she agrees that the presence of unlimited cafeteria food
doesn’t help.

"You can eat as much as you want at the dorms," she said. "It’s
very different from home."

Ariel Silverberg, a second-year business economics student, said
that although dorm food can be less than appetizing at times, it’s
often the only option.

"There are times when nothing leaves you satisfied at the
dorms," Silverberg said. "So you go back for more and more just to
find one thing that’s good."

Some students, though, are unaffected by dorm food.

"I’m a vegetarian, so it’s easier not to gain weight because
there aren’t that many food choices (for vegetarians) at the
dorms," said Laura Leaper, a second-year political science student.
"It’s basically salads and fruits."

While this may be good news for the vegetarians, other students
must deal with high-fat meals and vending machines for sustenance.
For many students, especially women, the extra pounds gained can be
an unwelcome addition to already stressful lives.

"Girls receive a lot of pressure from society and the media,
magazines, models and TV," Albert said. "They’re trying to reach
unrealistic expectations to appear a certain way. They equate being
thin with success, so they’re always striving for that perfect
figure."

Living in Los Angeles, with the movie industry and good-looking
celebrities around every corner, doesn’t help much either.

"In L.A., you can be ugly and you can be poor, but you better be
thin," Pate said.

The unrealistic standard that movie stars and models set has
some health advocates worried that women are being too hard on
themselves.

Viele pointed out that in a 1995 Student Health Survey, 67
percent of students considered themselves to be of normal weight,
but 51 percent indicated that they were dissatisfied with that.

"If you know your weight is normal and you’re still
dissatisfied, it shows a lack of acceptance of healthy weight,"
Viele said. "And it suggests some disturbances with body
image."

For students who are concerned about their weight, Viele and
Albert both stress the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and
exercising regularly.

"The focus should be on being fit," Albert said. "Muscle weighs
more than fat, so you can be heavier and still be more fit and
trim. Follow good eating habits and cut back on the fats. You
should also minimize late-night eating."

Students should also avoid quick fixes like fad dieting or
skipping meals.

Viele related a common misconception about losing weight that
tends to backfire on people.

"Rather than adopting healthy habits on a lifetime basis, some
see dieting as a temporary thing ­ which is very ineffective,"
Viele said. "There can be an increase of body fat with repetitive
dieting if the weight is gained and lost too rapidly."

While the idea of the "freshman 15" may seem like a frightening
concept for most people, the results are not as alarming as they
might envision.

"Obesity is not very prevalent on college campuses," Viele said.
"Some students have not reached their normal adult weight yet and
others are making adjustments to living away from home. Students
should not be overly concerned with the Å’freshman 15.’"

One way students on campus can curb calories and stay fit is by
strolling on campus. The many hills of UCLA can serve as a good
workout for those too busy to hit the gym every day.

"I’ve walked more here than I ever have in my life," Leaper
said. "I think that’s how most UCLA students stay thin."

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