What you need to know about ‘Freshmen 15’ weight gain

College freshmen are well into their first semester now, and chances are they have heard of the term “the Freshmen Fifteen.”

That’s what putting on 15 pounds of weight gain during the first year of college is called. That first year is often the first time college students are making all of the decisions on their food options.

A lot of students will be returning home for Thanksgiving. Some may be a little heavier than when they left home, but a psychologist has some good news about the Freshmen Fifteen adage.

“Research indicates that women, on average, tend to gain 3.1 pounds and men 3.5. Only 10 percent tend to gain over 15 pounds during their freshmen year, so this is good news for students,” said Susan Albers, a psychologist at Cleveland Clinic.

Albers says instead of focusing on weight, it’s better to teach college students how to eat healthy. They may want to avoid late-night munching, social eating, snacking, skipping breakfast and not getting enough sleep, she says.