Date of Conferral

7-9-2026

Date of Award

July 2026

Degree

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

School

Health Sciences

Advisor

Twanda Wadlington

Abstract

College students aged 18–25 transitioning to independent living often experience changes in diet, physical activity, stress, and time management that increase health risks. These challenges may be amplified in semi-urban communities by limited access to healthy food, transportation barriers, and scheduling constraints. This qualitative phenomenological study explored how college students in Huntsville, Texas, perceived and interpreted these lifestyle changes and their influence on perceptions of health and weight. Guided by the social ecological model, the study included 12 participants who were 18–25 years old, enrolled in college, living independently in Huntsville, Texas, and able to describe their experiences with lifestyle changes related to health and weight. Participants were recruited through purposeful maximum variation sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Analysis revealed five major themes: disruption of healthy routines during the transition to independent living, increased reliance on convenient but unhealthy food choices, decreased physical activity due to competing academic demands, stress as a significant contributor to health behaviors, and awareness of healthy behaviors without consistent implementation. These findings demonstrate that social and environmental factors shape college students' perceptions of health and weight management and inform campus and community strategies to improve access to healthy food, promote physical activity, and strengthen stress management supports in semi-urban college environments

Download

Included in

Public Health Commons

Share

 
COinS