International students attending American schools appear to be gaining a lot more than an education.
They're also gaining plenty of weight, thanks to an American diet that's high in fat, salt and sugar, says a new study. The students shared detailed food diaries with the researchers, and the researchers checked the students' weight and body mass index, a method of estimating their body fat. While not all 22 fattened up, as a group they averaged a 3-pound gain each, along with a 5 percent increase in percentage of body fat, the study says. It didn't matter, they say, whether the students lived on campus or off. So, when some students come here and see how inexpensive fast food is, they might make that choice over other foods.