Going to college can be an exciting yet stressful time. Between taking classes, participating in extracurricular activities, maintaining a social life, and working a job, it’s common for college students to feel overwhelmed. This constant state of stress and anxiety can not only take a toll on your mental health but also your physical health and weight.

Recent research has explored the connection between stress, anxiety, and weight changes in college students. While the findings are mixed, there is evidence that high stress and anxiety levels may contribute to weight gain and obesity. As a college student, it’s important to be aware of this connection and take steps to manage stress and anxiety in healthy ways.

The Link Between Stress, Anxiety, and Weight Gain

Multiple studies have found levels of stress and anxiety increase significantly when students enter college. This heightened and prolonged stress can cause a range of issues:

• Chronically elevated cortisol levels, which increase appetite and fat storage around the abdomen
• Disruption of sleep patterns, which influences hormone regulation, including ghrelin and leptin control hunger and satiety
• Emotional and stress eating of high-calorie comfort foods
• Less motivation to exercise and be physically active
• Increased cravings for high-fat, high-sugar foods

Gaining weight is very common during the first year of college. Known as the “Freshman 15,” students often gain 5-15 pounds as they adjust to college life. While poor dietary habits and decreased activity levels certainly contribute, research suggests stress and anxiety may also be key factors driving weight gain in college populations.

Studies have found correlations between higher stress levels and increased body mass index (BMI) in university students. There also appears to be links between anxiety disorders and obesity rates. Though more longitudinal research is still needed, this indicates stress and anxiety may predispose students to weight gain and adverse changes in body composition.

Tips for Managing Stress in a Healthy Way

Since stress and anxiety can negatively impact physical health and weight, it’s essential that college students adopt healthy coping strategies. Here are some evidence-based tips:

Exercise regularly. Physical activity is one of the most effective ways to relieve stress. Aim for 30-60 minutes of exercise like brisk walking, jogging, biking, or weight lifting 3-5 days per week. Exercise releases endorphins to boost mood while also burning calories.

Practice relaxation techniques. Try yoga, deep breathing exercises, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and reverse the effects of stress. Even 5-10 minutes per day can help reduce anxiety. Apps like Calm provide great guided meditations.

Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep and poor sleep quality are linked to higher stress levels. Strive for 7-9 hours per night and adopt good sleep hygiene, such as limiting screen time before bed. Adequate sleep will help you feel more equipped to take on daily stressors.

Connect with others. Loneliness and isolation tend to exacerbate anxiety and depression. Make time for family, friends, and social activities you enjoy. Share your feelings with someone you trust for support. Feeling connected to others has mental health benefits.

Avoid unhealthy coping habits. It’s easy to reach for alcohol, drugs, junk food, or other unhealthy habits when stressed or anxious. But these tend to worsen the problem. Replace them with positive coping strategies like exercising, talking to a friend, or journaling.

Get professional help if needed. If anxiety or stress becomes overwhelming, seek help from a mental health professional. Many colleges offer free or low-cost counseling services. Therapy and/or medication can help manage severe stress or anxiety.

Strategies for Avoiding Stress Eating

Stress eating or emotional eating is the tendency to eat more food, especially junk food, in response to stress, anxiety, sadness, or other negative emotions. Here are some tips to avoid stress eating:

• Recognize your triggers and warning signs, like reaching for food when bored, sad, irritated, etc.
• Find alternatives to eating, like going for a walk, calling a friend, meditation, etc.
• Keep healthy snacks on hand like yogurt, fruits, vegetables, and nuts so you’re less tempted to binge on chips or ice cream.
• Avoid having junk food where you study or hang out to remove temptation.
• Slow down and assess if you’re truly physically hungry or just emotionally eating.
• Practice mindful eating by paying close attention to tastes and sensations without distractions.
• Distract yourself with a hobby, household chores, schoolwork, or other activities besides eating.
• Don’t restrict foods too severely, as deprivation can lead to binges. Allow yourself small treats.
• Seek support through counseling if emotional eating is a recurring issue.

Making Healthy Diet Choices

Along with managing stress, making nutritional changes can help prevent weight gain caused by the college lifestyle. Follow these healthy eating tips:

• Choose lean proteins like chicken, fish, tofu, beans, eggs
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to increase fiber and nutrients
• Include whole grains like oats, brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat bread
• Drink water as your primary beverage instead of sugary drinks
• Limit sweets, fried foods, processed snacks, and other junk food
• Be mindful of portions and calories at cafeterias and restaurants
• Cook simple healthy meals in your dorm when possible
• Pack healthy snacks when on-the-go like trail mix, hummus, protein bars
• Take a daily multivitamin to fill any nutritional gaps

Making intentional food choices and preparing your own meals can help maintain a healthy diet amidst college stressors.

Staying Active and Getting Good Sleep

Along with stress management and nutrition, physical activity and sleep are critical for college students to avoid unhealthy weight gain.

• Aim for 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise per week, like brisk walking. This can lower stress and prevent weight gain.
• Incorporate both cardio and strength training to maximize health benefits. Many campus gyms offer free classes and equipment.
• Walk or bike instead of driving when possible as part of an active lifestyle.
• Opt for active social outings like hiking, swimming, sports games, and dancing versus sedentary activities.
• Set a regular sleep schedule and wind-down routine to improve sleep quality. Losing sleep can increase cortisol, hunger, and cravings.
• Limit screen time and stimulants like caffeine after dinner to allow natural melatonin release.
• Create a comfortable sleep environment that is cool, dark, and quiet.

Good fitness and sleep habits will provide energy, improve mental health, and help maintain healthy body weight during your college years.

Seeking Help for Significant Weight Changes

Some students may experience more extreme weight fluctuations tied to stress and anxiety. Unhealthy weight loss or weight gain can negatively impact both physical and mental health. Warning signs include:

• Gaining or losing a significant percentage of body weight in a short period of time
• Noticeable loss of muscle mass
• No longer fitting into clothing due to size change
• Development of possible eating disorders like binge eating, anorexia, or bulimia

If stress or anxiety are significantly impacting your appetite, activity levels, or body weight, seek help right away. Make an appointment with your doctor, mental health professional, or registered dietitian. Getting a handle on stress levels, along with outside support, can help restore healthy behaviors.

Focus on Overall Wellbeing

Attending college brings immense opportunities for growth and fun new experiences. But it also poses challenges to maintaining healthy habits, especially with heightened stress and anxiety. The research on links between mental health and weight changes in university populations is still emerging. While more rigorous longitudinal studies are needed, evidence indicates uncontrolled stress may contribute to weight gain in college students.