Weight gain in freshman college students and perceived health

• Students gained a mean of 1.1 kg in their first three months of college.
• 40% of the students changed their eating patterns and 30.7% consumed more alcohol.
• Students with weight gain experienced hindrance in exercise and mental well-being.
• Only students not having irregular eating habits wanted to change their lifestyle.
• To prevent weight gain, gender-specific approaches may be necessary.

BackgroundWe determined body weight increase in first year Dutch college students. We had the objective to determine whether the awareness of the unhealthy lifestyle raised concerns and willingness to change habits.MethodsBody weight, heartbeat, BMI, body fat percentages, and blood pressure values were collected from 1095 students. Comprehensive statistical analysis was performed on the data.ResultsThe students had a mean weight gain of 1.1 kg and an average BMI gain of 0.35. Members of a student corps gained significantly more weight (1.6 ± 3.1 kg) than non-members (1.0 ± 2.5 kg), while students who are living independently gained an average of 0.5 kg more than students living with their parents (p < 0.05). Approximately 40% of the students changed their eating patterns and 30.7% of the students consumed more alcohol.ConclusionsStudents experienced hindrance in physical exercise and mental well-being. Students with a high BMI without irregular eating habits were willing to change their lifestyle. However, students who had irregular lifestyles exhibited the lowest willingness to change their eating behaviors and to lose weight. Our study provides insight into means by which adolescents at high risk for weight gain can be approached to improve experienced quality of life.