TY - JOUR
T1 - Changes over four years in body composition and oxygen uptake of young adult males after university graduation
AU - Zsolt, Szakály
AU - Zsófia, Mészáros
AU - János, Mészáros
AU - Andreas, Photiou
AU - András, Prókai
AU - Ildikó, Vajda
AU - Ng, Nelson
AU - Kumagai, Shuzo
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - Lifestyle changes and challenges following university graduation often present a sharp contrast to the relatively free and basically pleasant university life enjoyed by the typical college student. Adaptation to a new work environment, relocation to a new community, concerns of marriage and family, personal finances, including income and budgeting (automobile and mortgage payments, savings, etc.), and adjustment to independent living result in an unfamiliar schedule of duties, often too sedentary in nature. The aim of this study was to analyse the changes observed in young working professionals by comparing selected body composition estimates, and physiological working capacity variables at the time of university graduation and four years later. Anthropometric and functional cardio-respiratory exercise test data were collected in 26 physically active (but non-athletic) volunteer males at the time of their university graduation in 2000 and 4 years later in 2004. By the end of this four-year period body weight, body mass index (BMI), the sum of 5 skinfold thicknesses, and relative body fat content increased significantly. Both mean BMI and weight-related body fat content were within the categorized risk range at the time of the second data collection. Parallel with unfavourable changes in body composition, peak minute ventilation, aerobic power, oxygen pulse, and maximum treadmill running distance had decreased significantly during this time. We attributed the significant changes observed mainly to the dramatically changed lifestyle. The subjects could not maintain their previous level of habitual physical activity.
AB - Lifestyle changes and challenges following university graduation often present a sharp contrast to the relatively free and basically pleasant university life enjoyed by the typical college student. Adaptation to a new work environment, relocation to a new community, concerns of marriage and family, personal finances, including income and budgeting (automobile and mortgage payments, savings, etc.), and adjustment to independent living result in an unfamiliar schedule of duties, often too sedentary in nature. The aim of this study was to analyse the changes observed in young working professionals by comparing selected body composition estimates, and physiological working capacity variables at the time of university graduation and four years later. Anthropometric and functional cardio-respiratory exercise test data were collected in 26 physically active (but non-athletic) volunteer males at the time of their university graduation in 2000 and 4 years later in 2004. By the end of this four-year period body weight, body mass index (BMI), the sum of 5 skinfold thicknesses, and relative body fat content increased significantly. Both mean BMI and weight-related body fat content were within the categorized risk range at the time of the second data collection. Parallel with unfavourable changes in body composition, peak minute ventilation, aerobic power, oxygen pulse, and maximum treadmill running distance had decreased significantly during this time. We attributed the significant changes observed mainly to the dramatically changed lifestyle. The subjects could not maintain their previous level of habitual physical activity.
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U2 - 10.2114/jpa2.26.437
DO - 10.2114/jpa2.26.437
M3 - Article
C2 - 17704621
AN - SCOPUS:34948844107
VL - 26
SP - 437
EP - 441
JO - Journal of Physiological Anthropology
JF - Journal of Physiological Anthropology
SN - 1880-6791
IS - 4
ER -