Weight gain in freshman college students and perceived health

AbstractBackgroundWe determined body weight increase in first year Dutch college students. We had the objective to determine whether the awareness of the unhealthy lifestyle raised concerns and willingness to change habits.MethodsBody weight, heartbeat, BMI, body fat percentages, and blood pressure values were collected from 1095 students. Comprehensive statistical analysis was performed on the data.ResultsThe students had a mean weight gain of 1.1kg and an average BMI gain of 0.35. Members of a student corps gained significantly more weight (1.6±3.1kg) than non-members (1.0±2.5kg), while students who are living independently gained an average of 0.5kg more than students living with their parents (p