24 Change in Diet, Physical Activity, and Body Weight in Female College Freshman Scott M. Butler, MS, CPPE; David R. Black, PhD, FASHA, FSBM, FAAHB Carolyn L. Blue, PhD, RN, CHES; Randall J. Gretebeck, PhD, RD, FACSM, CHES Scott M. Butler, Associate Instructor, doctoral student, William Yarber Graduate Fellow, Indi- ana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN. David R. Black, Professor, Health Promotion; Carolyn L. Blue, Associate Professor, Nursing, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. Randall J. Gretebeck, Assistant Professor, Wayne State University, School of Education, Detroit, MI. Address correspondence to Mr. Butler, Indiana University Bloomington, Applied Health Sciences, 801 East Seventh Street, Bloomington, IN 47405- 3085. E-mail: scmbutler@indiana.edu Objective: To examine diet, physical activity, and body-weight changes associated with reloca- tion from home to university. Methods: Diet, fitness/physical activity, body-weight parameters and self-efficacy were assessed among 54 freshman women upon college entry and 5 months later. Results: Although caloric intake significantly decreased, a signifi- cant increase occurred in body- weight parameters that may be attributed to significant de- creases in total physical activity. Conclusions: Interventions are needed aimed at increasing physi- cal activity; improving diet qual- ity related to consumption of veg- etables, fruits, breads and pasta, and meats; and decreasing alco- hol consumption. Key words: obesity, energy equa- tion, weight management, self-ef- ficacy, college student health Am J Health Behav. 2004;28(1):24-32 T he overweight/obesity pandemic has created a renewed interest in the etiology of weight gain. 1,2 Interest in the etiology of weight gain also has been renewed because the pandemic has spread to younger populations as indi- cated by the National Collegiate Health Risk Survey, which revealed that 1 in 5 college students is overweight (BMI [kg/ m 2 ] > to 27.8 for men and 27.3 for women). 3 It also has been noted that between 1976- 1980 (NHANES II) and 1988-1991 (NHANES III), the prevalence of overweight adults in the US population increased by 31% and is continuing to rise. 4 The total average caloric intake, however, from 1977-1978 to 1987-1988 in women de- creased by 3% (equivalent to 53 Kcal/day) and fat intake (adjusted for total calories) decreased by 11%. 5 These divergent trends in overweight/obesity and fat and energy intake patterns have been de- scribed as the “American Paradox.” 5 Di- etary intake has received more attention than physical activity for weight reduc- tion because studies have shown reduced energy intake to be more effective for weight loss than increased physical ac- tivity. 6 Investigators have concluded that even without adequate information con- cerning physical activity, “the only avail- able explanation for the paradoxical in- crease in body weight with a decrease in fat and energy intake is that physical activity declined.” 5 Whether the recent rise in body weight in the US population is a result of changes in dietary habits, physical activity levels, or both, increased body weight represents a change in lifestyle. It may, therefore, be instructive to study other situations that involve lifestyle alterations that do not ***Reprinted with permission. No further reproduction is authorized without written permission from PNG Publications. This version of the document is not the version of record. Figures and/or pictures may be missing from this format of the document.***