The impact of physical activity on body weight and fat gains during the first 3 years of college

Abstract

Over two-thirds of students gain weight and body fat during college, especially during the freshman year. This study examined whether participation in physical activity during the first 3 years of college was associated with favorable changes in body weight and percent body fat. Participants included 535 college students (345 females, 190 males). Height and weight (assessed by standard techniques) and body fat (assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis) were obtained at the beginning of fall semester and at the end of spring semester of each year; in addition during the first 2 years, assessments were also conducted at the end of fall semester for a total of eight assessments between 2007 and 2010. Physical activity participation was self-reported using a questionnaire that included a subset of questions from the National College Health Risk Behavior Survey. While both males and females exhibited significant increases in weight and percent body fat over the 3-year period; for the females, participation in strength training was associated with loss of weight and percent body fat. The results of this study emphasize the benefits of physical activity, especially strength training, for college females as a means to reduce or prevent body weight and fat gains during the first 3 years of college.

Keywords:

• body fat gains
• college students
• strength training

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES) projects 013-020 and 07-020, and an AAES Initiative Grant. No financial disclosures were reported by the authors of this paper.