Predicting 1-year change in body mass index among college students.
OBJECTIVE
Despite beliefs about weight gain in college, few researchers have evaluated this phenomenon.


METHODS
Participants were 18- to 31-year-old students at a midwestern university. The dependent variable was body mass index (BMI) change.


METHODS
The authors extracted predictor variables from a Health Risk Appraisal. These included clinical, medical history, medical usage, medications, pain or chronic conditions, perceptual measures, and behavioral factors. The authors performed an ordinal regression technique separately by gender.


RESULTS
No predictors were significant for men. Women in the BMI gain group were (1) more likely to consume alcohol, use maladaptive coping behaviors, eat foods low in fiber, and consume caffeine; and (2) less likely to be stress-free, to eat cruciferous vegetables, and to refrain from eating high-cholesterol foods.


CONCLUSIONS
The lack of research on predictors of and interventions for reducing BMI gain among college students warrants more research.
Adams
Troy
T
Department of Health and Wellness, Arizona State University, AZ, USA. drtroy@cox.net
Rini
Angela
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D015146:Midwestern United States; D009043:Motor Activity; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D014495:Universities; D015430:Weight Gain