Lifestyle and psychosocial factors associated with maintenance of normal body mass index in college students: a cross sectional study.

Current BMI was within normal range for 68.8% of freshmen and 60.6% of seniors. Never consuming fast food was a significant predictor for maintaining normal BMI in sophomores (OR 3.78; 95% CI 1.61, 8.88; p < 0.01) and juniors (OR 7.82; 95% CI 2.14, 28.65; p < 0.01). In seniors, better psychosocial health (OR 1.40; 95% CI 1.12, 1.76; p < 0.01) was the only significant predictor for maintaining one's normal freshman BMI category. Among those within the normal BMI range upon entering the university, psychosocial health (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.10, 1.55; p < 0.01) was the only predictor of retaining one's absolute BMI within ± 3% as a senior. Prospective studies are needed to better understand the interaction between environment, behavior, and psychological health involved in retaining normal weight.