Those Tufts students who bypass the cookies in the dining hall for the salad bar, who opt for a wrap instead of a calzone from their favorite takeout, and who wake up an extra hour early just to go to the gym may want to listen up.
Men's Fitness magazine released its second annual Fattest and Fittest Colleges list, with Dickinson College in Pennsylvania weighing in at number one fittest school. Colgate came in second, while Boston College was third.
Tufts avoided the fattest list, but it didn't make the fittest list either.
After conducting a survey of over 12,000 students, the magazine narrowed the list down to 25 schools. Students answered 17 questions about how much physical activity they participate in, how much fast food they eat per week, and how much alcohol they consume.
"I wouldn't give the study too much weight," Fitness Center Director Mike Pimentel said. "I believe Tufts is actually far ahead of other colleges."
Pimentel cited President Bacow's annual Boston Marathon challenge, which is unique to Tufts, as proof of Tufts' fitness credentials. "Bacow is putting action where his mouth is," he said. Last year 193 runners from Tufts completed the 26.2 mile course.
He also mentioned that Tufts stands out from sister institutions in that students are offered five free personal training sessions in the fitness center.
Still, senior and varsity swimmer Michael Kinsella said Tufts doesn't do enough for athletics. "The administration doesn't spend enough on athletics," he said. "The fact that the entire school is all expected to work out in the little fitness center is kind of ridiculous."
"A lot of schools have separate facilities for varsity athletes, like Colgate," Kinsella said. "Colgate is a very great academic institution, but it shows that a school can prioritize on academics, and it doesn't mean the school can't spend on athletics." Kinsella's older brother attended Colgate.
Kinsella cited space as a major concern facing athletics at Tufts. "You take a school like Hamilton or Bowdoin or any other school in the NESCAC, and you'll see they are all in the middle of nowhere, so it gives them a lot of freedom to build," he said. "See where our hockey rink is. We don't have one on campus."
Pimentel agreed that Tufts suffers from a space problem. "There's always room for improvement, but I believe we do a fantastic job in terms of spacing," he said. "The fitness center, when I got here 20 years ago, was half the size of the women's locker room, and it was small and gross."
"The facilities were so bad 15 years ago that tours didn't even bother coming down," Pimentel said.
The availability of healthy eating options, extended gym hours, and nutritionists was also considered in the ratings.
"It is tough in the cafeterias," Kinsella said of the Tufts dining options. "You can go in and eat some serious junk." He said he tries to eat healthy, sticking to salads.
"I think if you took the population of Tufts, it is a sampling of the United States," Pimentel said. As a trainer he "only sees the students that are actually interested in fitness." Those that do visit the fitness center "are very enthused, excited, focused, and committed," he said.
After crunching the numbers on their survey, the magazine found that the top five fittest schools all turned out to be in the north. Wheaton College in Illinois was ranked fourth, and the University of Vermont was ranked fifth.
"Boston College is pretty fit and very athletic," Boston College sophomore Elvira Garcia said of her school's ranking in the top three. "I think number three is overshooting it, though. It should probably be No. 10."
Last year, Boston College was ranked at No. 11.
Last year's ranking included the top 20 "fattest" schools, whereas this year's list placed eight schools on "academic probation" for their low score in the survey. These included California State University-Long Beach, Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, and the University of New Orleans.
The magazine suggests ways that college student can avoid the infamous "freshman 15." Eating breakfast daily, avoiding high-carb drinks like beer, and getting more sleep are some of the tips that Dr. Tanya Zuckerbrot, a dietician and author of the F-Factor Diet book, offered in the article.
Pimentel suggests students look for healthy and fun ways to stay in shape. "Find an interest and find a passion in activity," he said. "It is fantastic to come down to the weight room, but when you find something you are passionate about, you will stick to it and you'll get the best results from it."
"If you look at what we've done, I'd throw that study right out," Pimentel said about the improvements Tufts has made over the years.
Kinsella agrees. "Working out or your level of fitness is such a subjective thing for each person," he said. "Given the facilities that we have, Tufts does a pretty good job with students."
