Freshman Fifteen Research Paper

Every year, many BYU freshman gain the dreaded “freshman fifteen,” fifteen pounds of weight that students gain the first year they attend college. Although it may seem harmless, the freshman fifteen is the result of poor eating habits, which can lead to many negative consequences such as eating disorders, mental disorders, and even obesity. If the freshman fifteen can be prevented, the likelihood of BYU students experiencing these negative consequences can be decreased. In this paper, I will outline the consequences and causes of the freshman fifteen, as well as actions BYU can take to prevent it.
The freshman fifteen embodies the poor eating habits embraced by freshman; these poor eating habits, if not stopped, can lead to mental and eating disorders. Students’ initial year in college is typically the first year they are on their own; it is during this time students develop eating habits that will last them throughout college and adult life. Students that develop healthy eating habits during their freshman year will likely maintain a healthy diet throughout the rest of their lives; students who gain the freshman fifteen, however, developed poor eating habits, habits that are the gateway to a plethora of other problems. Once the poor eating habits develop, …show more content…
Roughly half of all BYU students live in Helaman Halls, freshman housing that does not provide full kitchens to each tenant. These students are required to purchase a meal-plan and eat at on-campus restaurants. The Canon Center, an all-you-can-eat buffet managed by BYU, is where these students generally go to eat. Freshman usually go to the Cannon Center three times a day and enjoy food that ranges from spaghetti to donuts. Since many freshman eat there, a wise action to take in preventing the freshman fifteen is to make the food offered at the Cannon