Changes in weight and body composition during the first year at a public university in northeastern Brazil

Resumen

Objective: Evaluate changes in weight and body composition among students during freshman year at a public university in northeastern Brazil.

Methods: Changes in weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) as well as percentage (%) and absolute (kg) body fat (BF) and lean mass (LM) were investigated in a cohort of 148 university students.

Results: Significant increases in body weight (1.0 kg) and BMI (0.4kg/m²) were found among the males. A significant increase in WC was found in the overall sample (1.1cm). Half (50.7%) of the students gained weight and mean weight gain among these students was 2.87 ± 2.08kg. In the overall sample and among the women, positive correlations were found between weight gain and both BF (% and kg) and LM (kg), whereas a negative correlation was found with %LM. Among the men, weight gain was positively correlated with LM (kg).

Conclusion: The first year of academic life was characterized by discrete gains in weight and body fat among the students. With regard to sex, weight gain seems to be related to an increase in muscle mass among men and fat mass among women.