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Prevention of weight gain in young adults through a seminar-based intervention program

International Journal of Obesity volume 31, pages 1262–1269 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

Prevention would be the ideal public health strategy to face the current obesity epidemic. Adoption of healthy lifestyles during the first years of college or university could prevent the onset of weight gain associated with this period of acquired independence and eventually decrease the incidence of obesity.

Design:

Randomized-controlled trial over a period of 2 years. The subjects received an educational/behavioral intervention (small group seminars) designed to help maintain a healthy lifestyle or no specific intervention (control group).

Subjects:

One-hundred and fifteen non-obese freshmen in a Faculty of Medicine.

Measurements:

Anthropometric measurements, physical activity level, fitness level, food intake and lipid profile were recorded at predetermined intervals.

Results:

The control group gained weight, whereas the intervention group lost a slight amount of weight over 2 years. The difference between the two groups was 1.3 kg at the end of the follow-up, the trend of weight gain differing between the two groups during the 2-year intervention period (P=0.04). There was no detectable difference in fitness, physical activity level or total caloric intake between the two groups during follow-up. However, plasma triglyceride levels increased in the control group and decreased in the intervention group (P=0.04).

Conclusion:

In this randomized-controlled trial, a small-group seminar educational/behavioral intervention successfully prevents weight gain in normal weight young healthy university students. Such small absolute changes in body composition and lipid profile, if maintained over a prolonged period, could result in significant long-term health benefits for the general population (ClinicalTrial.gov registration number: NCT00306449).

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Acknowledgements

We thank Mrs Annie Bourbonnais and Anick Champoux for data collection and blood sampling, Mrs Marie-Pier Garant for statistical analyses, and Drs Jean-Patrice Baillargeon, Rhonda Bell and Simone Lemieux for their critical review of the manuscript. Marie-France Hivert is a post-doctoral fellow supported by the Merck-Frosst-Schering-Université de Sherbrooke Fellowship Award. André Carpentier is the recipient of a New Investigator Award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MSH 46799). Marie-France Langlois is the recipient of a Junior-2 clinician-researcher career award from the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec. This work was presented in part at the 2003–2005 CDA/CSEM Professional Conference and Annual Meeting, North American Association for the Study of Obesity's 2004 Annual Scientific Meeting, and American Diabetes Association 65th Scientific Sessions (2005).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

    M-F Hivert, M-F Langlois & A C Carpentier

  2. The Faculty of Sports and Physical Education, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

    P Bérard & J-P Cuerrier

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  1. M-F Hivert
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Correspondence to A C Carpentier.

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Hivert, MF., Langlois, MF., Bérard, P. et al. Prevention of weight gain in young adults through a seminar-based intervention program. Int J Obes 31, 1262–1269 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803572

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