Transition to Post-Secondary and First Year

Starting at a brand-new school, sometimes away from their hometown and community, can be a challenging time for some students as they adjust. Changes in appetite and the type of food available to first-year students may differ from what they were accustomed to at home. This is also a time when general habits and food choice habits start to change (Vila-Martí et al., 2021).

The transition to a new environment has also shown to be a time of high anxiety, stress and an increased risk of depression and other mood disorders for youth – often not fully improving at all until the end of first year (Howard et al., 2022). Increased stress and mood changes can lead to shifts in eating patterns, including changes in appetite or frequency of meals.

The introduction of alcohol, smoking, and cannabis use, combined with responsibility of potentially preparing their own meals for the first time, can increase the risk of developing disordered eating patterns, such as skipping meals and overeating or undereating. If not corrected, these factors may lead to an eating disorder or assist in setting the stage for the development of one in the future (Vila- Martí et al., 2021).