Experiences of Health Related Lifestyles in High Body Fat but Non-obese Female College Students in Korea

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to describe and understand the lifestyles of non-obese female college students with high body fat (HBF). METHODS The interview data were collected from 18 female students [body mass index (BMI) <23 kg/m(2) and body fat ratio ≥30%] and analyzed by using descriptive phenomenology of Colaizzi. The procedural steps described the phenomenon of interest, collected participants' descriptions of the phenomenon, extracted the meaning of significant statements, organized the meanings into clusters, wrote exhaustive descriptions and then incorporated data into an exhaustive description. RESULTS The results in 153 restatements, 36 constructed meanings, 22 themes, seven theme clusters, and three categories were deduced. The three categories were: diminished daily concerns of health, changes in living habits by stressors, and perceived unbalance in health. CONCLUSION This study describes non-obese female university students' experiences with HBF and their lifestyles. The findings have important implications for health promotion for non-obese female university students with HBF and must be considered when developing education courses for preparing adults.