A study by an Iowa State University professor is shedding some light on the myths about weight gain among college students. Nutrition Biochemist Doug Lewis set out to confirm or deny the “Freshman 15” — a phenomenon where college students supposedly gain 10-15 pounds in their first year. Lewis followed one group of students who took a nutrition class and one that didn’t.Lewis says his study found neither group gained weight during their first 16 months of college. Another area of Lewis’ study measured the “body mass index” or the amount of fat content in the students’ bodies. He found a link between the B-M-I and weight gain. Students with a high B-M-I index who did not take the nutrition course did gain weight. Other students who took the course lost weight.He says the nutrition course proved to be helpful to students in giving them the nutritional knowledge important to let them control their weight.Lewis says his study included mostly women, as men did not want to participate.
