Changes in Anthropometry and Selected Metabolic Parameters in Young Men During Their First Year of Study at a University of Physical Education

Diet Inflammatory Index among Regularly Physically Active Young Women and Men

Recently, special attention has been paid to the relationship between diet and inflammation in the body. A factor that influences both diet and inflammation is physical activity. The aim of this study was to assess the inflammatory potential of the diets of young people engaging in regular physical activity. The participants were physical education students (n = 141 men and n = 151 women). The measurements included basic anthropometric parameters and a 4-day nutritional history from which the dietary inflammatory index (DII) was calculated. The average DII for female students was 2.09 ± 1.52, and that for male students was 0.21 ± 1.69. Consumption of all macro- and micronutrients was significantly higher among women and men with the lowest DII value (corresponding to an anti-inflammatory diet). The female and male students consuming anti-inflammatory diets were characterized by greater lean body mass (LBM), and, for the male students, a lower body fat content, compared to those whose diets were pro-inflammatory. Young and regularly physically active people are also exposed to the pro-inflammatory nature of their diets, whose long-term effects may lead to health problems.

UniStArt: A 12-Month Prospective Observational Study of Body Weight, Dietary Intake, and Physical Activity Levels in Australian First-Year University Students

Background: Students in the United States gain weight significantly during their first year of university, however limited data are available for Australian students. Methods: This 12-month observational study was conducted to monitor monthly body weight and composition, as well as quarterly eating behaviours, dietary intake, physical activity, sedentary behaviours, and basal metabolic rate changes amongst first-year Australian university students. Participants were first-year university students over 18 years. Results: Twenty-two first-year university students (5 males and 17 females) completed the study. Female students gained weight significantly at two, three, and four-months (+0.9 kg; +1.5 kg; +1.1 kg, p < 0.05). Female waist circumference (2.5 cm increase at three-months, p = 0.012), and body fat also increased (+0.9%, p = 0.026 at three-months). Intakes of sugar, saturated fat (both >10% of total energy), and sodium exceeded recommended levels (>2000 mg) at 12-months. Greater sedentary behaviours were observed amongst male students throughout the study (p <0.05). Conclusions: Female students are at risk of unfavourable changes in body composition during the first year of university, while males are at risk of increased sedentary behaviours. High intakes of saturated fat, sugars, and sodium warrant future interventions in such a vulnerable group.