The weight gain is mainly due to a changing lifestyle, say the researchers. Credit: Pixabay

Students in Belgium gain 3.6 kg on average during their studies, according to research by the VUB.

Male students gain about 5.7 kg, and female ones gain 2.2 kg on average. It is a dangerous trend, according to researcher Tom Deliens, as “it can lead to diabetes type 2, cancers or cardiovascular diseases,” he said, reports VRT.

The researchers of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) weighed 340 students. 115 of them took part in six measuring moments spread out over five years.

The results show that the weight gain tends to be the biggest during the first year of the studies, reports Het Nieuwsblad.

“The weight gain is mainly due to a changing lifestyle: unhealthy diets, less fruit and vegetables, more alcohol,” said Deliens. “At the same time, many students give up their secondary school hobbies, which are often sports,” he added.

The student period is a critical one, according to the researchers. “They often carry that weight gain forever, which can have harmful consequences for their health,” Deliens added.

To encourage students to live a healthier life, universities could offer fewer sodas, or make unhealthy products more expensive, according to Deliens.

Maïthé Chini

The Brussels Times