title: Anthropometric and behavioral measures related to mindfulness in college students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether mindfulness is associated with physical and behavioral measures in first semester college students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male and female first year college students (n = 75) from the University of Rhode Island.
  
  
  METHODS
  Height, weight, waist circumference (WC), and blood pressure were assessed and online questionnaires were completed. Independent t tests and Pearson correlations were utilized for analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The less mindful group had a higher WC than the more mindful group. Correlations were seen between mindfulness and weight-related behaviors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mindfulness can impact health status of first year college students, particularly with behavioral measures that have been found to effect weight status. However, additional research is needed focusing on mindfulness as a potential weight gain prevention technique for first year college students in order to decrease chronic disease prevalence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA. ingridlofgren@uri.edu
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grinnell
authors.forename: Geoffrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Melanson
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Blissmer
authors.forename: Ingrid E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Lofgren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D001364:Awareness; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011594:Psychometrics; D012237:Rhode Island; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities