Nutrition can get out of hand for students

Incoming college freshmen often pay a physical price for the combination of high levels of stress, free-flowing booze, unlimited carbohydrates and a sudden lack of parental control -- the infamous freshman 15.

That's the storied average of extra weight new arrivals to the college scene often pack. But there's no need for parents or students to panic, says Elisabetta Politi, nutrition director at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center in Durham. It's easy to keep fit with a couple of healthy living guidelines to keep metabolism up and calorie intake consistent.

"It's really a challenging time in young students' lives because they are on their own for the first time," said Politi. "Some kids who have been sheltered, they find it difficult to just transition from having parents providing three meals a day to making their own selections."

Anna Myers, a freshman moving in to N.C. State this weekend, said she is worried about gaining weight but hopes being on the third floor of her dorm will help. She's also taking a running class.

But without the structure of high school and living at home, the most important thing for college students is to plan meals, Politi said.

"Freshmen have a schedule packed with classes that makes it difficult to eat regular meals," she said. "I encourage them to look at their class schedule and find times to eat their meals. It's not a good idea to rush to class and not eat anything until 2 p.m."

Never skip breakfast, added Politi.

"I know a lot of college students really enjoy sleeping late and then rushing to classes, but I think it's really important to take time for that meal," she said. "You boost your metabolism when you eat breakfast."

To keep metabolism running for the rest of the day, try to eat something every four to five hours.

But don't eat too often. Students often feel pressured to eat when their friends go out, especially late at night, said Courtney Rash, nutritionist coordinator at East Carolina University. "They don't want to miss the social experience, but I tell them they can enjoy their friends without eating again if they've already had dinner."

Study breaks, school-sponsored or otherwise, also offer occasions for social eating.

"During finals, we had an ice cream night and a doughnut night," said Laura Keeley, a rising sophomore at Duke. "And you can almost always find someone who wants to order pizza."

Keeley said she gained a few pounds freshman year, but the pressure to stay thin is strong enough to keep most weight gain at about five pounds. She said alcohol -- a fact of college life despite the higher age limit for legal drinking -- doesn't help.

Politi agreed, saying that alcohol is highly caloric, with little nutritional value. Liquid calories aren't filling, even after imbibing hundreds of calories. And with judgment impaired, students are more likely to binge on late-night pizza. Politi encourages setting limits and drinking only a few drinks at a time.

Stress can also impair decision-making when it comes to food.

"Studying is the priority for most students," Politi said. "Eating right comes later."

When students feel overwhelmed, Rash said, they should go to the health center for counseling instead of eating.

"Don't turn to emotional eating," Rash said.

Complicating the decision of what to eat is the lack of refrigeration and food preparation areas in college dorm rooms, which leads many college students to subsist on meal bars, shakes and ramen.

Dining halls often have healthy options, but with a smorgasbord of cheesy carbs laid out in front of them, who can stick to the salad bar?

"I recommend that when they go to a dining hall they first start with a salad or soup," said Politi, "which has been shown to curb appetite, and then later eat food that is more calorically dense."

To keep meals balanced, she added, fill one quarter of your plate with protein, one quarter with carbs, and the rest with fruits and vegetables. This takes advantage of what Politi calls the volumetric principle: It doesn't matter how many calories you eat, what fills you up is plenty of volume. So a big salad can fill you up more than a little cookie, even though the cookie could have more calories.

If you're worried about the freshman 15, most schools provide free nutritional counseling through the health center. East Carolina University has had the service for about two years.

"The hardest thing is to just let students know there are resources available," said Rash, "that there is a dietitian on campus that students can see for free."

NCSU freshman Ben Perkins, 17, from Durham, said he'd actually welcome a little extra weight.

"Especially in the arms," he quipped.