Change in diet, physical activity, and body weight among young-adults during the transition from high school to college

Table 1 Characteristics of the Freshmen Health Study participants by BMI status (BMI < 25; BMI ≥ 25) upon entering college (2005).

Characteristic	Baseline BMI < 25 (n = 131)	Baseline BMI ≥ 25 (n = 28)	p-value
White-non-Hispanic (%)	97%	95%	0.746
Female (%)	66.2	52.6	0.121
BMI (kg/m2)	21.5 ± 2.0	28.9 ± 3.8	<0.001
Happy with current weight^b(%)	60.8	27.8	<0.001
Reported self as less healthy than peers (%)	2.1	13.5	0.003
Ate breakfast regularly (at least 4 times per week)^b(%)	72.1	64.9	0.387
Ever drank alcohol^b(%)	12.7	24.3	0.154
Ever smoked cigarettes^b(%)	6.3	5.4	0.856
Participated in vigorous physical activity most days of the week^b (%)	44.2	45.2	0.320
Participated in organized sports during High School (%)	51.6	43.8	0.427
Reported mother being overweight/obese (%)	53.0	77.8	0.002
Reported father being overweight/obese (%)	52.0	68.6	0.146
Dietary intake as estimated by baseline FFQ^{b, c}
Calories per day	2320 ± 1021	2363 ± 776	0.86
Energy as a percent of total calories
Protein	16.17 ± 3.0	16.33 ± 3.5	0.72
Carbohydrate	51.59 ± 6.9	52.54 ± 6.8	0.45
Fat	34.07 ± 5.9	32.87 ± 5.1	0.23
Servings (.5 cup) of fruit per day	2.22 ± 1.69	2.65 ± 1.74	0.179
Servings (0.5 cup) of vegetables per day	3.41 ± 4.18	3.53 ± 2.20	0.865
Sweetened-carbonated beverages per day	0.64 ± 0.98	0.85 ± 1.05	0.268
Servings (1 cup) of milk per day	1.97 ± 1.65	1.90 ± 1.29	0.820
Carbonated beverages per day	0.87 ± 1.43	1.16 ± 1.43	0.283
Occasions when junk food was eaten as a snack per day	0.99 ± 0.95	0.84 ± 0.96	0.385
Fast food meals per week	2.22 ± 2.5	2.23 ± 2.4	0.920

^a159 students were weighed and measured at the second data collection period including 131 with a baseline BMI of <25 and 28 with a baseline BMI of ≥ 25.
^bDietary and lifestyle habits are for the period of time January 2005 – June 2005, or the last six months of high school.
^c14 participants were excluded do to implausible energy intakes of <500 calories or >6,000 calories.

ISSN: 1475-2891