Changing prevalence of overweight, obesity and metabolic syndrome criteria among college students

Abstract

Overweight and obesity prevalence is high among young adults in the U.S. The purpose of the study was to determine if the prevalence of overweight/obesity, as well as metabolic syndrome (MetS) criteria, has changed since 2005–2007. Initiated in the fall of 2005, the College Health and Nutrition Assessment Survey (CHANAS) at the University of New Hampshire is an on‐going cross‐sectional survey of the health of young (18–24 yrs) adults; participants represent all majors at the university. Participants from 2005–07 (n=1,599; 71.5% female) and 2010–12 (n=1,384; 73.2% female) were included in the analyses. The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 32.9%/7.4% in 2005–07 and 25.1%/4.5% in 2010–12 (both p<0.01). Although no difference in MetS prevalence was observed (2.9 vs. 4.1%, p=0.1), reductions in hypertension (32.6 vs. 26.1%, p<0.01), abdominal obesity (4.3 vs. 2.8%, p<0.05), and elevated glucose (6.6 vs. 4.1%, p<0.01) were observed. Conversely, prevalence of low HDL‐C increased (24.6 vs. 31.1%, p<0.01). These observations suggest the improving rates of overweight and obesity among young, college adults may be associated with modest improvements in many MetS criteria. Supported by NHAES grant NH00541.Grant Funding Source: New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station