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Title: The Freshman 15: A Critical Time for Obesity Intervention or Media Myth?
Resulting in 1 citation.
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Zagorsky, Jay L. Smith, Patricia K. |
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The Freshman 15: A Critical Time for Obesity Intervention or Media Myth? Social Science Quarterly 92,5 (December 2011): 1389-1407. Also: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-6237.2011.00823.x/abstract Cohort(s): NLSY97 Publisher: Wiley Online Keyword(s): College Education; College Enrollment; Health Factors; Weight Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher. Objectives: We test whether the phrase “Freshman 15” accurately describes weight change among first-year college students. We also analyze freshmen's weight change during and after college. Methods: This is the first investigation of the “Freshman 15” to use a nationally representative random sample, the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY97). The data are analyzed using descriptive statistics, regression analysis, simulations, and longitudinal analysis. Results: Freshmen gain between 2.5 to 3.5 pounds, on average, over the course of their first year of college. Compared to same-age noncollege attendees, the typical freshman gains only an additional half-pound. Instead of a spike in weight during the freshman year, college-educated individuals exhibit moderate but steady weight gain during and after college. Conclusion: Anti-obesity efforts directed specifically at college freshmen will likely have little impact on obesity prevalence among young adults. |
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Bibliography Citation
Zagorsky, Jay L. and Patricia K. Smith. "The Freshman 15: A Critical Time for Obesity Intervention or Media Myth?" Social Science Quarterly 92,5 (December 2011): 1389-1407.
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