Selected health behaviors that influence college freshman weight change

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% white, 88.2% women, 94.5% on a meal plan). Methods: The authors administred a Web-based survey in fall 2002 (base-line) 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 wasa unchanged. Weight gain for students with body mass indexex (BMI) >= 25 kg/m(2) 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 >= 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 >= 25.