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An Experimental Analysis of Children's Ability to Provide a False Report about a Crime
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Published on: May 3, 2016

Freshman 15: fact or fiction?

Michelle L Morrow1, Kristiann C Heesch, Mary K Dinger

  • 1Department of Health and Exercise Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA.

Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)
|September 22, 2006
PubMed
Summary

College freshman women experienced modest weight and body composition changes during their first year, not supporting the "freshman 15" myth. This study tracked body weight, BMI, and fat mass in 137 participants.

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Area of Science:

  • Human Physiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The transition to college often involves lifestyle changes impacting student health.
  • Popular media frequently cites a significant
  • freshman 15
  • weight gain phenomenon.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate changes in body weight, BMI, body composition, and fat distribution in freshman women during their first academic year.
  • To provide empirical data on weight changes during the freshman year of college.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited freshman women for a study during the 2004-2005 academic year.
  • Conducted baseline and follow-up measurements of height, weight, BMI, waist and hip circumferences, and body composition (DXA) between fall and spring semesters.
  • 137 participants completed both measurement periods.

Main Results:

  • Observed statistically significant increases in body weight (58.6 to 59.6 kg), BMI (21.9 to 22.3), percentage body fat (28.9% to 29.7%), total fat mass (16.9 to 17.7 kg), fat-free mass (38.1 to 38.4 kg), waist circumference (69.4 to 70.3 cm), and hip circumference (97.4 to 98.6 cm).
  • No significant change was found in the waist-to-hip ratio (0.71).

Conclusions:

  • The observed changes in body weight, body composition, and fat mass were modest, despite being statistically significant.
  • These findings do not substantiate the widely publicized "freshman 15" weight gain.