1. ^*Department of Health and Exercise Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
2. ^†School of Human Movement Studies, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
3. ^‡Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
4. ^§Department of Pediatrics, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
5. ^¶Children's Medical Research Institute's Metabolic Research Center, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Correspondence: David Fields Department of Pediatrics and Children's Medical Research Institute's Metabolic Research Center, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, OUCP Diabetes and Endocrinology, 940 NE Thirteenth Street, CH 2B2426, Oklahoma City, OK 73104. E-mail: dfields@ouhsc.edu

^*The costs of publication of this article were defrayed, in part, by the payment of page charges. This article must, therefore, be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

Received 2 December 2005; Accepted 30 May 2006.

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate changes in body weight, BMI, body composition, and fat distribution among freshman women during their 1st year of college.

Research Methods and Procedures: Freshman women during the 2004 to 2005 academic year were recruited to participate. The initial baseline visit occurred within the first 6 weeks of the fall 2004 semester, with the follow-up visit occurring during the last 6 weeks of the spring 2005 semester. At each visit, height, weight, BMI, waist and hip circumferences, and body composition (by DXA) were obtained.

Results: One hundred thirty-seven participants completed both the fall and spring visits. Significant (p < 0.0001) increases between the fall and spring visits were observed for body weight (58.6 vs. 59.6 kg), BMI (21.9 vs. 22.3), percentage body fat (28.9 vs. 29.7), total fat mass (16.9 vs. 17.7 kg), fat-free mass (38.1 vs. 38.4 kg), waist circumference (69.4 vs. 70.3 cm), and hip circumference (97.4 vs. 98.6 cm), with no significant difference observed in the waist-to-hip ratio (0.71 vs. 0.71; p = 0.78).

Discussion: Although statistically significant, changes in body weight, body composition, and fat mass were modest for women during their freshman year of college. These results do not support the purported "freshman 15" weight gain publicized in the popular media.