title: Designing a Weight Gain Prevention Trial for Young Adults: The CHOICES Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Young adults are at risk for weight gain. Little is known about how to design weight control programs to meet the needs of young adults and few theory-based interventions have been evaluated in a randomized control trial. The Choosing Healthy Options in College Environments and Settings (CHOICES) study was funded to create a technology-based program for 2-year community college students to help prevent unhealthy weight gain. The purpose of this paper is to: 1) provide a brief background on weight-related interventions in young adults; 2) describe the study design for the CHOICES study, the conceptual model guiding the research and the CHOICES intervention; and 3) discuss implications of this research for health educators.
  Our experiences from the CHOICES study will be useful in suggesting other theory-based models and intervention strategies that might be helpful in programs attempting to prevent unhealthy weight gain in young adults. In addition, this paper discusses important considerations for working with 2-year colleges on this type of health promotion work.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health University of North Carolina Campus Box 7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7440 llytle@email.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Leslie A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Lytle
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: Stacey G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Moe
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: M Susie
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Nanney
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: Melissa N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Laska
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Linde
keywords: Conceptual model; Weight gain prevention; intervention strategies; young adults