Will living ‘on campus’ in college make you fat??

Posted by Maria Kang on April 10, 2008

This is an interesting study for those of you who are interested in attending college next year and wonder if you should live on or off campus.

Personally – I think it’s always fun to live in the dorms as you get to meet new friends and be in close proximity of the school. However, they have a TON of food in the cafeteria and the students usually drink and eat a lot together. At that same token, because you live nearby, you engage in more recreational sports activities. In my junior year, I dated a guy who lived on campus, and we often played tennis together and went to the nearby recreational hall more often.

From my own personal experience – I went to UC Davis and I commuted the first two years to campus (it was a 30 minute commute) mainly because my parents didn’t allow me to move, but also because, it was unnecessary for me to move into the dorms when I lived 30 minutes away. SO! I never did gain the Freshman 15. I wasn’t around drinking or partying a lot, so that definitely helped. Overall though – I was also more health conscious at a young age.

Check out this study below!

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Where College Students Live Can Impact Their Weight, Eating And Exercise Habits

ScienceDaily (Apr. 9, 2008) — The first year of college is often associated with the “freshman 15,” a reference to the 15 pounds that female college freshman are alleged to gain during the first year of higher education. The causes of the freshman 15 range from stress-related over-eating to excessive consumption of alcohol. A new study of female freshman dorm residents adds a new perspective to this phenomenon, finding that those who avail themselves of school housing consume significantly higher numbers of calories and more sugar and — unlike their off-campus counterparts — engage in higher levels of calorie- curbing physical activity.

The researchers found:

No significant difference in body weight, BMI, W/H ratio or percentage body fat was apparent between the two groups at the end of the study. A long-term study may, however, show significant differences in percent body fat between the off campus and on campus groups.
Total caloric consumption was significantly higher in students who lived on campus compared to those living off campus (1,846±122.4 vs. 1,459± 92.2 calories per day, p<.05). This may be due to the fact that most on-campus students use the University meal plan, which offers students unlimited buffet style dining.
The amount of sugar that students consumed was also significantly higher in students living on campus compared to those living off campus (17.4±3.38 vs. 6.4±l.41 grams per day, p<.05). The researchers speculated that the on campus students might have more exposure to sugar rich foods due to the University meal plan at the buffet style cafeteria on campus.
At the same time, the level of physical activity was significantly higher in students who lived on campus compared to those who lived off campus (90,000±19,000 steps per week vs. 42,000±5700, p<.05). The researchers suggest that this may be due to the distances between the dorms and campus and the high level of participation in intramural sports and recreational activities among dorm residents. The fact that exercise facilities were more likely accessible may have also played a role.Read the entire article here.

I’d want to escape to the cafeteria if I had to live like this!!

Fitness Cure