Abstract
Background: The United States is facing an obesity epidemic as the number of individuals who are overweight and obese continues to rise, with nearly 40% of adults considered obese and approximately 93.3 million individuals affected by obesity. An epidemic of overweight and obesity exists in the young adult population, particularly college students, as they are exposed to common obesity risk factors including poor nutrition and lack of physical activity. Alarmingly, one in three college students are overweight or obese, with an average weight gain of four to eight pounds during their first semester of college. Problem: The PICO question guiding this project was: In freshmen college students, how does an evidence-based, health promotion program The Healthy Eating and Activity Responsibility Training (HEART), compared to no intervention, affect the nutrition and physical activity behaviors, weight, and body mass index (BMI) of freshmen students during the first semester in college? Methods: The HEART program was a blended learning nutritional program for select college freshmen at a university in southwest Florida. Pre-and post-questionnaire data were obtained to compare effectiveness of the program. Intervention: There were 91 participants in the HEART program and 61 students in the usual group. However, only 44 questionnaires from the intervention group, and 9 questionnaires from the usual group, were included in the data analysis as these participants correctly provided their unique identifier to compare pre-and post-results. Results: Females in the intervention group lost an average of five pounds compared to the average weight gain of females in the usual group of 17 pounds. Males in the intervention group gained an average of two pounds, whereas males in the usual group lost an average of two pounds. Additionally, students reported increased ability to identify select foods high in fiber (bananas p < .014), added sugar (tomato Ketchup p < .017), and added salt (cereal p < .001). Conclusion: Participants in the HEART program had less weight gain compared to those in the usual group. Females appeared to be more likely to decrease their weight compared to males. Additionally, participants in the HEART program revealed improved awareness and recognition of foods high in fiber, added salt, and added sugar; BSN to DNP