Obesity: Impact on Students and Interventions for Campus

Obesity is one of the most common chronic health conditions facing young adults in the U.S., having grown from 5.5% to 32.5% from the late 1970s to the late 2010s.^1,2 For many college students in early adulthood, this is a time marked by new independence and autonomy, presenting an opportunity to develop new weight-related behaviors. Between academic, financial, and social pressures, building and maintaining healthy nutrition and exercise habits can be challenging. As a result, weight gain and obesity have become increasingly common on college campuses, creating a need for education and intervention.³

Prevalence and impact of obesity

The American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA) survey results from spring 2024 found that 24% of students are categorized as being overweight on the body mass index (BMI) scale, and 18% as obese.⁴ Another study of over 17,000 U.S. adolescent students found that 32.4% were overweight or obese, with notably higher rates among Black or African American and Hispanic adolescents compared to their white and Asian counterparts.⁵ Despite the limitations of the BMI scale, this gives us a general understanding of the prevalence of obesity among college-aged adults.

Obesity is associated with a wide range of both physical and mental health risks. It can increase risk for many serious diseases and health conditions, including hypertension, high or low LDL cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and many types of cancer. Obesity can also cause generalized body pain and difficulty with physical functioning, which can impact quality of life.⁶ Mental health issues can arise with weight gain as well. Obesity is linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and is highly stigmatized, leading to social isolation.⁶

As discussed in our previous article on healthy weight management [LINK], addressing obesity among college students is not solely about weight. It involves long-term health, mental well-being, and creating a foundation for healthy, lifelong habits.

The role of colleges in supporting healthy lifestyles

College campuses shape the environments in which students make daily health decisions, giving institutions an opportunity to support students while they build healthy skills and habits. Effective interventions against obesity typically combine education, environmental change, and behavioral support. Research has found that interventions that utilize campus environments and their related systems (curriculum, student-led organizations, etc.) have potential for campus-wide impact.³

Educational programs

Despite the natural learning environment, college and university curricula often overlook chances to teach students about maintaining their physical health. The National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) highlights the importance of intertwining health and well-being into all aspects of campus life.⁷ Strategy 5 of the NPAP’s Education Sector provides actionable strategies to help institutions of higher education implement and incentivize programs that support physically active lifestyles for their students. One example includes having a physical activity course as a graduation requirement and available as a noncredit course, which has shown evidence of decreasing risk of obesity, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity.^7,8

Educating students on skill-building and healthy behavior changes can be crucial for obesity management. Effective behaviors that promote healthy weight management include improving exercise and diet habits, setting realistic goals, self-monitoring, stressor control, and maintenance plans, all of which can come from a supportive, change-enabling environment.⁹

Environmental changes

In a large multi-institutional U.S. study of more than 37,000 students, those with overweight or obesity were significantly less likely to meet nutrition and physical activity recommendations.¹⁰ Creating a healthier campus environment can make nutritious food choices and physical activity easier and more accessible for students.

At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), leaders have adopted the Okanagan Charter, an international document with a central call to embed health into every part of campus life. Following the adoption, UIUC developed walkable campus pathways, inclusive recreation events, and alternative settings to work out besides the traditional gymnasium.⁷ These changes to the campus environment not only make physical activity more accessible to students, but also plant and promote physically active lifestyles in student culture.

Systems change

Systems-based change focuses on embedding structured improvements that translate to better health outcomes in the long run. In Wellfleet’s partnership with NIRSA, we aim to help campuses adopt systems-based approaches that grow the capacity for recreation initiatives. NIRSA is dedicated to advancing campus recreation, and with Promising Practices, our joint effort supports campus recreation departments in embedding well-being into their culture, operation, and strategies. Strengthening recreational divisions equips campuses to sustain a culture that prioritizes physical activity, increasing accessibility of opportunities to fight obesity, and maintain a healthy weight.

References

1. Watson KB, Carlson SA, Loustalot F, et al. Chronic Conditions Among Adults Aged 18─34 Years — United States, 2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:964–970. Accessed on January 14, 2026. http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7130a3.
2. Ellison-Barnes A, Johnson S, Gudzune K. Trends in Obesity Prevalence Among Adults Aged 18 Through 25 Years, 1976-2018. JAMA. 2021;326(20):2073–2074. Accessed on January 14, 2026. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.16685
3. Bailey, C. P., Sharma, S., Economos, C. D., Hennessy, E., Simon, C., & Hatfield, D. P. (2020). College campuses’ influence on student weight and related behaviours: A review of observational and intervention research. Obesity science & practice, 6(6), 694–707. https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.445
4. American College Health Association. (2024). National College Health Assessment III: Reference group executive summary. American College Health Association. https://www.acha.org/ncha/data-results/survey-results/academic-year-2023-2024/
5. Shah, G., Karibayeva, I., Shankar, P., Mason, S., & Griffin, J. M. (2025). Body Weight Perception and Other Factors Associated with Overweight and Obesity in U.S. Adolescents. Children (Basel, Switzerland), 12(2), 169. https://doi.org/10.3390/children120
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, December 4). How Overweight and Obesity Impacts Your Health. Accessed on January 14, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/food-activity/overweight-obesity-impacts-health.html
7. Scroggs GJ, Battista RA, Kappus RM. Bridging the Gap: Promoting Physical Activity in College-Aged Students. Prev Chronic Dis 2025;22:250118. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd22.250118
8. Zhang, L., Zhong, T., & Dong, K. (2025). University-based physical education as a structured temporal and spatial opportunity for shaping health-oriented lifestyles. Frontiers in public health, 13, 1597480. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1597480
9. Olateju, I. V., Ogwu, D., Owolabi, M. O., Azode, U., Osula, F., Okeke, R., & Akabalu, I. (2021). Role of Behavioral Interventions in the Management of Obesity. Cureus, 13(9), e18080. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.18080
10.  Lipson, S. K., Jones, J. M., Taylor, B., Wilfley, D. E., & Eisenberg, D. (2023). Health, health behaviors, and medical care utilization among college students with obesity. Journal of Adolescent Health, 73(1), 45–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.04.012