Designing a Weight Gain Prevention Trial for Young Adults: The CHOICES Study

Young adults are at risk for weight gain. Little is known about how to design weight control programs to meet the needs of young adults and few theory-based interventions have been evaluated in a randomized control trial. The Choosing Healthy Options in College Environments and Settings (CHOICES) study was funded to create a technology-based program for 2-year community college students to help prevent unhealthy weight gain. The purpose of this article is to (1) provide a brief background on weight-related interventions in young adults; (2) describe the study design for the CHOICES study, the conceptual model guiding the research and the CHOICES intervention; and (3) discuss implications of this research for health educators. Translation to Health Education Practice Our experiences from the CHOICES study will be useful in suggesting other theory-based models and intervention strategies that might be helpful in programs attempting to prevent unhealthy weight gain in young adults. In addition, this article discusses important considerations for working with 2-year colleges on this type of health promotion work.