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Longitudinal changes in body habitus in college freshmen
Author(s) -
Hootman K C,
Guertin K A,
Cassano P A
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.847.25
Subject(s) - anthropometry , body mass index , body weight , demography , weight change , medicine , habitus , longitudinal study , weight gain , zoology , body fat percentage , gerontology , psychology , weight loss , obesity , biology , archaeology , pathology , sociology , ethnography , history
BACKGROUND The first year of college is a transition period during which changes in body habitus are common. METHODS A large representative sample of freshmen at Cornell University was studied over the first year, with repeated assessments of anthropometry and body composition via dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). RESULTS Among 184 participants with complete data (47% male), 75% gained weight during fall semester, and the mean increase was 1 kg greater in males (p=0.0067). When comparisons were limited to participants who gained weight, the mean change was 3.7 kg (SD 2.2) and 2.6 kg (SD 1.7) in males and females, respectively (p=0.0140). Change in adiposity, estimated by body mass index (BMI), paralleled weight changes, and females increased 0.3 units less compared to males (p=0.0098). The change in DXA body fat percent (BF%), over the academic year, supported anthropometric findings for the first semester. Thus, among those who gained weight in the fall, the increase in BF% was significantly greater in males compared to females, with a change of 1.7% (SD 1.4) and 1.1% (SD 1.9), respectively (p=0.0407). CONCLUSIONS Weight gain during freshman year is not universal, primarily indicates adiposity gain, with males gaining more in absolute and relative indicators. Grant Funding Source : This research was supported by internal funding from Cornell University, and by NRSA Institutional Research Training Grant T32‐DK‐7158–36 (KH)