Informational, not legal or financial advice. Rules change and every school sets its own policies; confirm with your school and the agencies linked here. We are nonpartisan.
Part of our series: College-bound in Florida.
What the research says
A 2015 meta-analysis in BMC Obesity by University of Oxford researchers reviewed 32 longitudinal studies and pooled data from 22 of them, covering 5,549 first-year students (Vadeboncoeur, Townsend & Foster, 2015). It found:
- Average gain of 1.36 kg (about 3 lbs) over an average of about 5 months.
- 60.9% of students gained weight.
- Students who gained averaged 3.38 kg (about 7.5 lbs).
The authors concluded the 15-pound figure isn't typical, but first-year weight gain is real, and those who gained did so faster than the general population.
Habits backed by public-health guidance
- Move: The CDC recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week plus muscle-strengthening activity on 2 days (CDC). Walking across campus counts toward that, and most universities have a recreation center.
- Sleep: The CDC says adults ages 18 to 60 need 7 or more hours a night (CDC).
- Eat on purpose: Use the dining hall's posted nutrition information. Keep fruit and water in your room, and watch late-night eating and sugary drinks.
- Use campus help: Many schools offer free dietitian visits or wellness coaching through student health. Ask yours.
Weight is only one measure of health. If eating or body image is causing distress, talk to student health or counseling.
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