Food consumption frequency, body mass index and body fat percentage among university students: a longitudinal study

Abstract

Life style of college students promotes inappropriate food intake patterns that cause important changes in their corporal weight. The aim of this research was to longitudinally analyze food consumption frequency, Body Mass Index (BMI) and body fat percentage in young students entering university. The sample consisted of 96 students enrolled in first semester at a public university(female = 59, male = 37). Their average age was 19.81 years (SD = 2.64). Participants were asked to complete the Food Frequency Questionnaire in three different moments with six-month intervals; their height and weight were also measured three times to obtain the BMI and body fat percentage. ANOVA showed that BMI increased significantly between the first and second moment for women (F = 3.58, P < 0.05) and for men (F = 3.01, P < 0.05); body fat percentage increased each time for women (F = 4.75, P < 0.05) and for men (F = 3.29, P < 0.05). The fat consumption frequency increased significantly between the first and the second moment for both men and women (F = 2.88, P < 0.05, women; F = 3.71, P < 0.05, men), and sugar consumption frequency increased each time for both men and women (F = 6.45, P < 0.001, women; F = 7.85, P < 0.001, men). Findings show that BMI, body fat percentage and food consumption frequency changed mainly during the first months at the university.