Students have undoubtedly heard about the “Freshman 15.” It even has its own website.

However, while statistical information from multiple university campuses found a weight gain in populations of first year students, the weight gain was not as high as the “Freshman 15” suggests.

Studies conducted on multiple college campuses within the past decade found that first year students gain an average of 3 to 6 pounds.

College freshmen gain weight, but according to a Cornell University study, the legendary “Freshman 15” was rare among respondents. Researchers found that Cornell students tend to gain an average of 4 pounds during their first semester.

In another study conducted in September 2008 by researchers at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Rochester, freshman weight gain was almost six times greater than that experienced by the general population who gain 2.7 pounds per year.

Meanwhile, researchers at Auburn University in Alabama found that the mean academic year weight gain was about 3 pounds for the entire group and 6 pounds for those who gained weight. Those who gained weight also increased their overall body fat by about 4 pounds, according to the 2009 Auburn findings.

Researchers from all studies cited that causes of weight gain in their subjects included overeating in the dining halls, eating take-out food and food from vending machines, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, drinking too many high-calorie beverages, all-you-can-eat buffets, eating late at night and skipping meals.

The transition from home to college is a major change for students, and this lifestyle change plays a role in students’ health and wellness, University health experts said. They stressed the importance of maintaining activity levels, increasing fruit and vegetable intake and decreasing the consumption of snack food and comfort food.

Exercise might not be the first priority for freshmen, Chantelle Russell, assistant director for fitness in the Physical Education and Recreation department, said.

She said that there are many options on campus and in Eugene for exercise. Not all exercise needs to be grueling work in the gym. Activities like bike-riding and hiking can be a fun way to hang out with friends while getting in exercise at the same time.

“The little things make a big difference,” Russell said.

The University understands the need for healthy options.

The Student Recreation Center on campus offers multiple physical education classes ranging from martial arts and tennis, to swimming and aerobics.

In regards to food, the dining halls on campus offer salads, wraps and other low-calorie and low-fat options.

“There are always healthy options to be found,” University Health Center nutritionist Jessica Wilson said.

University Housing Food Services Director Tom Driscoll agreed that there are many options for freshmen to eat healthy during their first year of college.

“It comes down to choices,” he said.