Factors associated to weight gain after joining the University

Abstract

Entering higher education is a defining moment in the lives of young students, representing a period of great challenges and changes. Studies evidenced a greater possibility of corporal increase in the first years of the university life leading to changes in the nutritional state of the individual. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and factors associated with weight gain in students of a federal institution of higher education. A cross - sectional study was carried out with a sample of 279 students, using a semi - structured questionnaire through validated scales. For the analysis of the association between the variables, the Poisson regression model with robust variance was used, and the variables that presented statistical significance of 20% (p <0.20) were selected to be inserted in the multivariate model. For the interpretation of results in the final model, p ≤ 0.05 was considered. The prevalence of weight gain > 10% was 29.39%. Years of admission, anxiety, emotional eating, current BMI and percentage of body fat were associated with weight gain. These data are of concern because they are university students from a multidisciplinary health campus. Therefore, it is important to know the changes occurred in the nutritional status of students after entering higher education to draw strategies with the focus of debate on the importance of the subject and implications in the life of the individual within the academic scope.