The DOI matches its Crossref record; 28 of the 28 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Changes in Body Weight and Fat Mass of Men and Women in the First Year of College: A Study of the "Freshman 15"
Abstract
Students entering their first year of college are faced with many stresses and changes, including changes in eating and exercise behavior. A common but often undocumented myth among college students is that there is a high risk of gaining 15 pounds of weight during freshman year. The objective of this study was to measure changes in body weight and percentage of body fat among first-year college students. Using a digital scale with bio-electrical impedance, the authors measured height, weight, and percentage of body fat for a sample of students who volunteered to be weighed during a health assessment in the university dining halls. The authors sent e-mails inviting those same students to complete a second measurement in February of the academic year. Sixty-seven of the 217 students who volunteered for the health assessment agreed to undergo a second set of measurements in the spring. The mean change in body weight was 2.86 pounds (1.3 kg, SD = 4.0 kg), and the mean change in percentage of body fat was 0.7% (SD = 4.0%). For those students who gained weight only, the mean increase in body weight (as measured by body mass index, weight divided by height in kg/m2) was 6.82 pounds (3.1 +/- 2.4 kg) and percentage of body fat was 0.9 +/- 3.8%. The authors found that the first year of college is a period in which weight and fat gain may occur. The exact causes behind these changes are unclear and warrant further research to plan or improve intervention and prevention.
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“recent studies have still reported weight gains of 1.3 kg (Hoffman et al. 2006), 2.5 kg (Racette et al. 2005) and 1.1 kg (Morrow et al. 2006) [7-9].”
From The effect of the Thanksgiving Holiday on weight gain (2006) · cites this paper as [7]
In the citing paper
“While the widespread campus perception that freshman students gain an average of 15 pounds (6.8 kg) during their first year of study appears little more than a myth”
From The effect of the Thanksgiving Holiday on weight gain (2006) · cites this paper as [7]
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S UCCESSFUL W EIGHT L OSS M AINTENANCE
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Emerging adulthood and college-aged youth: An overlooked age for weight-related behavior change
Nelson, M. C., Story, M., Larson, N. I., Neumark‐Sztainer, D., & Lytle, L. A. (2008) · Obesity · doi:10.1038/oby.2008.365 · Cited by 1,314
Deforche, B. I., Dyck, D. V., Deliens, T., & Bourdeaudhuij, I. D. (2015) · International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity · doi:10.1186/s12966-015-0173-9 · Cited by 387
The ‘Freshman 5’: A Meta-Analysis of Weight Gain in the Freshman Year of College
Vella‐Zarb, R. A., & Elgar, F. J. (2009) · Journal of American College Health · doi:10.1080/07448480903221392 · Cited by 386
College Students' Barriers and Enablers for Healthful Weight Management: A Qualitative Study
Greaney, M. L., Lees, F. D., White, A. A., Dayton, S. F., Riebe, D. A., Blissmer, B. J., Shoff, S. M., Walsh, J. R., & Greene, G. W. (2009) · Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2008.04.354 · Cited by 314
A meta-analysis of weight gain in first year university students: is freshman 15 a myth?
Vadeboncoeur, C., Townsend, N. P., & Foster, C. E. (2015) · BMC Obesity · doi:10.1186/s40608-015-0051-7 · Cited by 296
Metadata
- Authors
- Hoffman, D. J., Policastro, P., Quick, V., & Lee, S.-K.
- Affiliations
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
- Venue
- Journal of American College Health
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2006-07
- Volume
- 55
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 41-46
- ISSN
- 0164-4300 (ISSN-L)
- 0744-8481
- 1940-3208
- OpenAlex
- W2044550541
- Cited by
- 242
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 27.54
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of American College Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Health and Lifestyle Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Keywords
- Freshman 15, weight gain, body fat percentage, first-year college students, body mass index, dietary habits, exercise behavior, gender differences, weight gain prevention
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Anthropometry, Female, Humans, Male, New Jersey, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sex Factors, Universities, Weight Gain, Body Fat Distribution
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