Effectiveness of a web-based program to improve the nutrition and physical activity of college freshmen

The freedom and self-sufficiency experienced by young adults as they transition to independent college living can create unhealthy behaviors. Live Fit on Campus (LFOC) is a web intervention to help college freshmen, who may be regulating their diets for the first time, to increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables and their minutes of moderate and vigorous physical activity. LFOC is based on principles of Social Cognitive Theory and the Transtheoretical Model. Quizzes, learning modules, recipe and exercise databases, local food and workout venues, a goal tracking tool, and other skill-building features address nutrition and physical activity across the behavior change continuum. A group-randomized pretest-posttest controlled trial was conducted with 841 students (52% female; 11% non-White; 11% Hispanic; aged 18-20) living in 58 residence halls at four universities (follow-up rate=76%). Analyses adjusted for clustering indicated that LFOC reduced consumption of French fries/fried potatoes by students (-0.04 servings per day; p=0.065), removing approximately 90 calories per week. Just over half of intervention students (58%) logged on to LFOC and those who did so, spent on average 18.8 minutes logged on. LFOC increased intake of vegetables (r=0.08, p=0.005) and non-exercise cardio-respiratory fitness (in MET; r=0.06, p=0.011) when intervention students spent more time on it (greater use also was related increased time spent sitting; r=0.06, p=.018). LFOC is an effective online complement to Student Health Services' objectives to provide diet and physical activity guidance to freshmen. However, implementation methods to increase use of LFOC by students are needed to obtain greater benefits.