LIFESTYLE AND BODY WEIGHT CHANGES IN YOUNG FEMALES

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Over the past decade the highest increase in the prevalence of obesity in adults was observed among young adults (18-29 y of age). Epidemiological studies show that significant changes in body weight occur during early adulthood. Accompanying this increase in body weight is an increased risk for chronic disease. Therefore, it is important to identify key stages of life during which changes in body weight occur. One group of young individuals that are believed to gain body weight during early adulthood is female first-year college students living on campus. It is believed that students gain 15 lbs (6.8 kg) during their first year in college, also referred to "the freshmen 15". Few studies however, have systematically examined how body weight changes during the first year of college while living on campus compared to living at home. Therefore, the aims of this study are: 1) to determine the direction and magnitude of weight change among first-year female college students living on the main campus at a large Midwestern university and to compare these changes to first-year female college students enrolled at this large Midwestern university but living at home; and 2) to identify determinants of the associated changes in weight. A quasi-experimental design will be used, and subjects will be the primary unit of analysis. Subjects will be 200 incoming female freshman randomly selected by the university registrar at The Ohio State University half of whom will be living on campus, the other half living at home. All randomly selected subjects will receive a written survey by mail during August of 2005 (baseline). Subjects will be asked to visit the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) immediately when fall quarter starts for the measurement of height, weight and body composition using Bioelectrical Impedance (VISIT 1). During the Spring of 2006, subjects will return to the GCRC to complete the same questionnaires as baseline, and to obtain measurement of height, weight and body composition using Bioelectrical Impedance (VISIT 2). The primary outcome variable is change in body weight. Secondary outcome of interest are changes in body composition, physical activity, diet, and dieting practice variables. Data analysis will be performed on participants whose measurement of height and weight was obtained during VISIT 1 and VISIT 2. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize baseline characteristics of the subjects. An analysis of covariance will be used with covariates of baseline weight, smoking, baseline physical activity and ethnicity. These variables will be used as covariates because of their known association with body weight changes over time. An analysis of variance will be used to determine whether the change in body weight is different for the first-year female college students living on the main campus compared to first-year female college students living at home. This study will provide important information concerning body weight changes during a key stage of life in early adulthood. If the first year in college is determined as a critical time period for weight changes in females, objectives, interventions and awareness activities could be developed targeting female college students that could be readily generalized to colleges and universities throughout the nation. Similarly, if no significant changes occur, it is important to disperse this information and change the myth about the "freshmen 15". The project will provide preliminary data that can be incorporated into a larger longitudinal project. The project will also provide preliminary data that maybe used to raise awareness.