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Published on: July 29, 2020
Selected health behaviors that influence college freshman weight change
Danella Gilmore Kasparek1, Sara J Corwin, Robert F Valois
1Health and Physical Education Department, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC 29733, USA. kasparekd@winthrop.edu
Objective And Participants:
The authors investigated the effect of physical activity (PA), fruit and vegetable intake, and alcohol use on 6-month weight change in 193 college freshmen (78.8% white, 88.2% women, 94.5% on a meal plan).
Methods:
The authors administered a Web-based survey in fall 2002 (baseline) and spring 2003 (follow-up).
Results:
There was an overall average weight gain of 2.5 lbs (p < .05), although only 57% reported weight gain (M = 7.1 lbs). Fruit and vegetable intake decreased (p = .034), alcohol use increased (p > .05), and PA was unchanged. Weight gain for students with body mass indexes (BMI) > or =25 kg/m2 was nearly twice that of students with BMIs < 25 (p < .05). Students with low-frequency baseline PA were twice as likely to be overweight. Follow-up data showed that students reporting > or = 4 sessions per week (ie, high frequency) of low-intensity PA were twice as likely to have healthy BMIs as students engaging in low- and moderate-frequency PA.
Conclusions:
PA interventions should target freshmen with BMIs > or = 25.
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