Longitudinal changes in body habitus in college freshmen

• DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.847.25
• Publication Date: 2021-06-21T15:03:48Z
• Authors: K C Hootman; K A Guertin; P A Cassano
• Keywords: Weight change; Habitus; Longitudinal Study; Body Fat Percentage

BACKGROUND The first year of college is a transition period during which changes in body habitus are common. METHODS A large representative sample freshmen at Cornell University was studied over the year, with repeated assessments anthropometry and composition via dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). RESULTS Among 184 participants complete data (47% male), 75% gained weight fall semester, mean increase 1 kg greater males (p=0.0067). When comparisons were limited to who weight, change 3.7 (SD 2.2) 2.6 1.7) females, respectively (p=0.0140). Change adiposity, estimated by mass index (BMI), paralleled changes, females increased 0.3 units less compared (p=0.0098). DXA fat percent (BF%), academic supported anthropometric findings for semester. Thus, among those fall, BF% significantly 1.7% 1.4) 1.1% 1.9), (p=0.0407). CONCLUSIONS Weight gain freshman not universal, primarily indicates adiposity gain, gaining more absolute relative indicators. Grant Funding Source : This research internal funding from University, NRSA Institutional Research Training T32‐DK‐7158–36 (KH)