Emerging adulthood: A critical age for preventing excess weight gain?

Emerging adulthood is a unique transitional period between adolescence and adulthood. This period is marked by deterioration in health behaviors, including less physical activity and poorer eating habits, with implications for future health outcomes such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. To date, interventions targeted toward this age group have focused on those attending 4-year colleges and universities, with an emphasis on individuallevel rather than population-based strategies. More research on emerging adult weight-related health is needed, particularly among those not in a traditional postsecondary setting, to better understand how to address overweight and obesity issues.