Journal
HEALTH EDUCATION & BEHAVIOR
Volume 40, Issue 4, Pages 435-441Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/1090198112467801
Keywords
adolescents; college students; nutrition; obesity; physical activity; prevention
Categories
Funding
- NIAAA NIH HHS [R01 AA016016] Funding Source: Medline
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The transition from adolescence to adulthood is an important period for establishing behavioral patterns that affect long-term health and chronic disease risk. Nelson and colleagues speculated that developmental changes and changes in living situation may play an important role in the nutrition and physical activity behaviors of college students. Data from the University Life Study, a longitudinal study of college students that includes web-based surveys administered 14 consecutive days each semester, were used to examine fruit, vegetable, and sugared soda consumption, physical activity, and sedentary activity behaviors across seven semesters. Estimates for each semester were calculated to determine the frequency with which students consumed fruits, vegetables, and sugared soda, engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity, and engaged in sedentary activities. Four models, estimated with HLM 6.04, were used to predict changes in these behaviors across the seven semesters. Living on or off campus was included to determine if this explained additional variance. Results indicated that few college students consumed fruits and vegetables or exercised at optimal levels during the seven semesters surveyed. Daily fruit and vegetable consumption and daily physical activity declined significantly from the first to the seventh semester. For both of these findings, living off campus exacerbated the problem. Average number of hours of sedentary behaviors declined over time, as did number of days on which at least one sugared soda was consumed. Living location did not explain additional variance in these positive trends. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are discussed.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available