A College Nutrition Science Course As An Intervention To Prevent Weight Gain In Female College Freshmen

doi:10.1016/S1499-4046(06)60172-3

Journal of Nutrition Education

Volume 33, Issue 2, March–April 2001, Pages 95-101

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1499-4046(06)60172-3 Get rights and content

Abstract

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that a nutrition course that stresses fundamental principles of human physiology, energy metabolism, and genetics helps prevent weight gain during the first 16 months of college life. A randomized control trial was conducted from January 1997 to May 1998 using volunteers. Forty female college freshmen participated in the intervention (college course, n = 21) and control (no course, n = 19) groups. The intervention was a one-semester nutrition science college course. Body weight, nutrient intakes, and knowledge were measured at baseline, the end of the intervention (4 months from baseline), and 1 year later (16 months from baseline). Statistical analysis was conducted using a repeated-measure analysis of variance. Higher Body Mass Index (BMI) students (BMI > 24) in the intervention group (n = 11) reported lower fat (p = .04), protein (p =.03), and carbohydrate (p = .008) intakes compared with the higher BMI students in the control group (n = 6). Dietary changes reported by the higher BMI intervention students were associated with the maintenance of baseline body weight for 1 year in contrast with the higher BMI control students who gained 9.2 ± 6.8 kg (p = .012). The findings suggest that nutrition education emphasizing human physiology and energy metabolism is an effective strategy to prevent weight gain in at-risk college students.

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: This work was supported by a grant from the Center for Designing Foods to Improve Nutrition, Iowa State University, and by Hatch Act and State of Iowa funds.

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Research ArticleA College Nutrition Science Course As An Intervention To Prevent Weight Gain In Female College Freshmen

Abstract

Addict Behav

J Nutr Educ

J Am Diet Assoc

J Am Diet Assoc

J Clin Epidemiol

J Am Diet Assoc

J Am Diet Assoc

Prevalence of overweight among adolescents United States 1988-1991

MMWR Morb Mortal Weekly Rep

Increasing prevalence of overweight among US adults

JAMA

Weight, weight change, and coronary heart disease in women. Risk within the “normal” weight range

JAMA

Body weight and mortality among women

N Engl J Med

Association of weight loss and weight fluctuation with mortality among Japanese American men

N Engl J Med

Towards prevention of obesity: research directions

Obes Res

Onset of obesity in a 36 year birth cohort study

BMJ

Differences in weight gain in relation to race, gender, age and education in young adults: the CARDIA study. Coronary artery risk development in young adults

Ethn Health

The 10-year incidence of overweight and major weight gain in US adults

Arch Intern Med

Weight change in first year female students in residence at a South African University

J Diet Home Econ

Research Article
A College Nutrition Science Course As An Intervention To Prevent Weight Gain In Female College Freshmen