Longitudinal weight and body-composition changes in polish undergraduate students of health faculty

Abstract

Objective: The study investigates the changes in body composition, dietary intake and physical activity of Polish health faculty undergraduates. Methods: 340 university students were measured at the beginning their studies. Subsequent measurements were performed at the beginning of the following academic years. In total, 82 men and 87 women were included in the analysis. The measurements included anthropometric parameters and the amount of consumed nutrients. Using Seven-Day Physical Activity Recall Questionnaire measured students’ physical activity. Results: Across three years at university 65.1% of students showed an increase in body mass. Men displayed an increase in body weight (1.6 kg) and waist circumference (4.1 cm). Women’s weight changed insignificantly. Participants’ energy intake increased statistically significantly after the 1st year and decreased after the 2nd year. In men there was observed decline in energy expenditure between the 1st and 2nd year. Conclusion: Transitory unfavorable changes were observed in students’ nutrition and physical activity.

Keywords:

• Body composition
• community health
• nutrition
• physical activity

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank to Agnieszka Wasiluk, Jerzy Saczuk and Barbara Długołęcka from the Faculty of Physical Education and Health at the University of Physical Education in Biała Podlaska for participation in data collection.

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of Poland and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw.

Funding

The study was carried out under research project DS. 172 at Jozef Pilsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Faculty of Physical Education and Health in Biala Podlaska. The project was financed by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education.