To examine diet, physical activity, and bodyweight changes associated with relocation from home to university. Methods: Diet, fitness/physical activity, bodyweight parameters and self-efficacy were assessed among 54 freshman women upon college entry and 5 months later. Results: Although caloric intake significantly decreased, a significant increase occurred in bodyweight parameters that may be attributed to significant decreases in total physical activity. Conclusions: Interventions are needed aimed at increasing physical activity; improving diet quality related to consumption of vegetables, fruits, breads and pasta, and meats; and decreasing alcohol consumption.

Disability risk was higher for obese persons, but overweight was not consistently associated with higher disability.

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Applied Hedges and Olkin's (1985) statistical meta-analytic procedures to summary data from all published studies that compared behavioral weight-control programs that formally involved partners in treatment (couples programs) to similar programs in which subjects participated alone (subject-alone programs). Based on tests of effect sizes, couples programs are significantly superior to subject-alone programs at posttreatment (p less than .05). A nearly significant (p = .06) statistical superiority for couples programs versus subject-alone programs is also found at 2- to 3-month follow-up, but not thereafter. The couples programs differed in the kinds of social support provided by partners, and the most productive kinds of partner support remain to be identified. In particular, the use of partners in providing social support to subjects after formal therapy has ended is still an area of largely unexplored potential.

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