Physical activity and dietary habits of first year nursing students: An Australian dual-method study

Background: Student transition to university may contribute to weight gain, decreased physical activity and unhealthy dietary habits. The freshman 15' phenomenon reported a 15 pound weight gain (6.8 kg) in US college students during their first year of study. It is unknown whether these findings apply to nursing students in Australia. Aim: To explore health behaviours and potential weight change of nursing students during first year university. Methods: A dual-method longitudinal study recruited participants from one university. Anthropometric and health questionnaire data were collected at semester commencement and seven months later, and analysed descriptively. Semi-structured interview data were collected from a sub-sample of participants, and examined by thematic analysis. Findings: Baseline data was completed by 145 respondents, with 35 (24%) returning for follow up. Median weight gain was 1.9 kg at seven months, with a higher proportion of participants 'overweight' or 'obese' and reporting 'very poor to fair' health. Self-reported physical and dietary behaviours fluctuated, with insufficient time a barrier to achieving a healthy lifestyle while maintaining academic requirements. Emergent themes related to time, perspectives on health and wellbeing, transitioning to university, prior behaviours and adaptability, future supports, and recommendations for improving health behaviours. Discussion: Modest weight gains were evident, but not to the extent of the freshman 15'. Transition to university is a critical period of change with reduced engagement in regular physical activity and healthy dietary choices. Conclusion: Risk factors associated with transition to university were identified, highlighting opportunities for future interventions in healthy lifestyle support for nursing students. (C) 2020 Australian College of Nursing Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd.