O-54 A Longitudinal Investigation of University Students Health and Lifestyle Across an Academic Year
Author(s):
M J Savage, E L Procter, P J Hennis, I Varley , R M James
Year of Presentation:
2025
Objective: University students adopt poor health-related
behaviours and develop adverse markers of body composition, but there is a dearth of robust longitudinal data on the
topic. This study assessed fluctuations in markers of healthrelated behaviours and cardiometabolic health outcomes
across an academic year in university students.
Methods: Participants were enrolled on a longitudinal study at a university in the East Midlands, UK. Two separate cohorts of undergraduate students completed an online survey at the beginning of terms one, two and three or a battery of physiological tests at the beginning of terms one and three of an academic year. One-way repeated measures ANOVAs assessed changes in survey outcomes and paired samples t-tests were conducted for physiological health markers.
Results: Diet quality was substantially reduced by term three compared to term two (p<0.05). Alcohol consumption was highest in term two and lowest in term three (p<0.05). Body mass, waist circumference, body mass index, and body roundness index were all higher in term three compared to term one (p<0.05).
Conclusion: University students develop poorer dietary habits towards the end of the academic year, potentially due to increased academic workload and financial constraints. This may also explain why students consume more alcohol during the second term before reducing intake in the final term. These behaviours may contribute to adverse changes in body composition in the final term. Stakeholders should use these data to develop effective surveillance systems and interventions to mitigate negative changes in students’ lifestyle and optimise their health.