College Student Wellness Status

In 2006, LaFountaine, Neisen, and Parsons conducted a study which looked at wellness factors among college students, focusing specifically on first year students compared to the national sample studied by Myers and Mobley (LaFountaine et al, 2006). This study’s results may effect how college wellness curriculums and programming can be created today. First, it was discovered that first year students were healthier in nutrition, activity levels, and stress management than older students (LaFountaine et al, 2006). The researchers concluded this was due to the fact that these students were still in the routines they practiced while living at home (LaFountaine et al 2006). Also, older students have an increasingly difficult workload and were found more likely to be juggling family responsibilities as well (LaFountaine et al, 2006).

            A second finding of this study examined first year student health looking at love and spirituality. In these areas, first year students scored lower than older students (LaFountaine et al, 2006). The researchers concluded that for the subject of love, first year students were more likely to have lower scores than older students as they have not yet developed close relationships with college friends. The spirituality aspect was lowered as students have only just been exposed to “the opportunity to question their beliefs and discover alternative faith traditions” (LaFountaine et al, 2006, p. 217).

            Using WHO’s wellness definition and the information from LaFountaine’s study combined with findings from the Myers and Mobley study can help us determine the gaps in college student wellness. 

References

American College Health Association. (2012, June). Healthy Campus 2020. Retrieved February 1, 2013 from http://www.acha.org/HealthyCampus/about.cfm.

LaFountaine, J., Neisen, M., & Parsons, R. (2006). Wellness factors in first year college students. American Journal of Health Studies, 21(4). P 214-218.

Myers, J. & Mobley, K. (2004). Wellness of undergraduates: Comparisons of traditional and    nontraditional students. Journal of College Counseling, 7, 40

World Health Organization (1964). Basic documents. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.