Comparison of Body Composition Among Different College Age Groups Using Bioelectrical Impedance

The current study focused on analyzing potential trends in body composition between genders and classifications of college-aged students. The aim of the study was to take a well-known phenomenon, the Freshman 15, and research it from a different perspective. A single testing session was used in which the participants had their body composition analyzed by the InBody 770 Bioelectrical Impedance Analyzer. 46 participants (23 males and 23 females) of various classifications were recruited to participate in this study. A two-way ANOVA of participants’ gender and classification was conducted using the variables percent body fat, lean mass (kg), fat mass (kg), and weight (kg). Results showed no significant change in percent body fat or fat mass (p > 0.05), but a significant difference was found for lean mass and weight by gender (p < 0.05). These results support the findings of other studies, such as the one conducted by (Vadeboncoeur, Townsend, & Foster, 2015), but they also emphasize the need for a large sample size and a more extensive approach to analyzing the various factors associated with this phenomenon