Prevalence and correlates of dieting in college women: a cross sectional study

Figures & data

Table 1 Distribution of eating behavior scores and physical characteristics of study participants

Eating behavior	%	Age (y)	Height (m)	Weight (kg)	BMI (kg/m^2)
Restraint
Unrestrained (157)	42.9	22.6 ± 4.1	1.65 ± 0.07	58.1 ± 8.5	21.2 ± 2.5
Restrained (n = 118)	57.1	22.4 ± 3.5	1.65 ± 0.07	59.2 ± 9.1	21.4 ± 2.6
Disinhibition
Nondisinhibited (n = 154)	56.0	22.9 ± 4.1	1.65 ± 0.07	57.1 ± 8.1^a	21.1 ± 2.5^b
Disinhibited (n = 121)	44.0	22.1 ± 3.4	1.66 ± 0.07	60.5 ± 9.3^a	21.9 ± 2.6^b
Hunger
Low hunger (n = 155)	56.4	22.6 ± 4.1	1.64 ± 0.06^a	57.9 ± 8.1	21.5 ± 2.4
Hungry (n = 120)	43.6	22.5 ± 3.5	1.66 ± 0.08^a	53.0 ± 4.3	21.5 ± 2.9

Notes: Values for restraint, disinhibition, and hunger are expressed as arbitrary units. Data are shown as the median split. Shared superscripts within the same column are significantly different; P < 0.05.

Abbreviation: BMI, body mass index.

Figure 1 Mean scores for disinhibition and rigid and flexible restraint by BMI category (n = 275).

Notes: Scores for disinhibition (

), rigid (

) and flexible restraint (

). Disinhibition and Rigid scores increase with increasing BMI category. Trend is statistically significant. *P < 0.001; **P < 0.05.
Abbreviation: BMI, body mass index.

Table 2 Dieting behavior categorized by age, height, body weight, and BMI

Question	BMI	Restraint	Disinhibition	Hunger
Do you consider yourself to be
Very underweight (n = 4)	17.7 ± 0.6*	5.5 ± 2.4*	4.5 ± 1.9*	5.8 ± 5.2
Slightly underweight (n = 18)	18.6 ± 1.2	5.1 ± 3.9	4.5 ± 2.5	6.2 ± 3.3
About the right weight (n = 169)	21.1 ± 2.1	8.3 ± 5.1	6.2 ± 3.3	5.1 ± 3.0
Slightly overweight (n = 68)	23.2 ± 2.5	9.0 ± 5.4	7.8 ± 3.4	5.1 ± 3.3
Very overweight (n = 4)	25.9 ± 6.5	12.0 ± 3.2	9.5 ± 3.7	5.8 ± 1.0
Compared to last year has your weight
Increased (n = 60)	22.3 ± 2.9^a	8.4 ± 4.8^d	8.3 ± 3.7^a	6.1 ± 3.2
Decreased (n = 45)	21.8 ± 2.6	11.0 ± 5.7^c	6.2 ± 3.7	4.3 ± 3.1
Stayed the same (n = 87)	20.9 ± 2.4^a	7.6 ± 5.0^d	5.8 ± 3.0^b	5.3 ± 3.2
Don’t know, I don’t weigh myself (n = 66)	21.2 ± 2.4	7.6 ± 5.0^d	6.2 ± 3.0	5.0 ± 2.8
Don’t remember (n = 5)	21.6 ± 2.0	4.8 ± 3.1	6.4 ± 1.1	3.8 ± 2.7
Have you tried to lose weight in the past 3 months?
Yes (n = 81)	22.3 ± 2.7*	10.9 ± 5.2	7.9 ± 3.6	5.5 ± 3.2
No (n = 162)	21.0 ± 2.4	7.0 ± 4.6	5.9 ± 3.1	5.1 ± 3.1
Not sure (n = 20)	22.3 ± 2.3	8.3 ± 5.1	6.7 ± 2.5	4.8 ± 2.8
If you tried to lose weight in the past 3 months, what methods did you use?
Exercise (n = 81)	22.3 ± 2.6**	9.9 ± 5.1	7.3 ± 3.7	5.4 ± 2.9
Organized programs (n = 5)	22.4 ± 2.2	9.0 ± 7.2	7.2 ± 3.4	5.6 ± 5.2
Meal replacements (n = 1)	20.8	11.0	10.0	9.0
Have not tried to lose weight (n = 145)	21.0 ± 2.5	6.9 ± 4.8	5.6 ± 3.0	5.0 ± 3.1
Other (n = 31)	21.7 ± 2.5	10.5 ± 5.0	8.4 ± 3.2	5.2 ± 3.2
I am actively trying to
Gain weight (n = 9)	18.5 ± 1.5*	3.9 ± 2.5	3.3 ± 1.9	6.4 ± 4.7
Not relevant; not doing anything to change my weight (n = 54)	20.8 ± 2.1	5.2 ± 4.1	5.3 ± 3.3	4.5 ± 3.1
Avoid gaining weight (n = 85)	21.3 ± 2.2	8.9 ± 5.1	6.6 ± 3.2	5.4 ± 2.8
Lose weight (n = 112)	22.3 ± 2.8	9.7 ± 5.1	7.4 ± 3.3	5.3 ± 3.1

Notes: Data are shown as the mean ± SD, n = 263. Trends within a column are significant;

* P < 0.001;

** P < 0.01.

Shared superscripts within the same column are statistically significant;

a,b P < 0.05;

c,d P < 0.01.

Abbreviation: BMI, body mass index.

Table 3 Prevalence of dieting behaviors in different BMI categoriesa,b

	BMI (kg/m^2) category
	<18.5 n = 28	18.5–25 n = 205	≥25 n = 30
Have you tried to lose weight in the 3 months preceding your participation in this survey?
Yes (n = 81, 30.8%)	2	66	13*
No (n = 162, 61.6%)	26	123	13
Not sure (n = 20, 7.6%)	0	16	4
Compared to last year at this time, has your weight
Increased (n = 60, 22.8%)	3	48	9
Decreased (n = 45, 17.1%)	4	31	10
Same (n = 87, 33.1%)	12	70	5
Don’t know, I don’t weigh myself (n = 66, 25.1%)	9	51	6
Don’t remember (n = 5, 1.9%)	0	5	0
Do you consider yourself
Very underweight (n = 4, 1.5%)	4	0	0
Slightly underweight (n = 18, 6.8%)	9	9	0
About the right weight (n = 169, 64.3%)	15	146	8
Slightly overweight (n = 68, 25.9%)	0	48	20
Very overweight (n = 4, 1.5%)	0	2	2
If you tried to lose weight in the past 3 months, which methods have you used?
Exercise (n = 81, 30.8%)	2	67	12
Organized programs (n = 5, 1.9%)	0	4	1
Meal replacements (n = 1, 0.4%)	0	1	0
Have not tried to lose weight (n = 145, 55.1%)	26	106	13
Other (n = 31, 11.8%)	0	27	4
I am actively trying to
Gain weight (n = 10, 3.8%)	6	4	0
Avoid gaining weight (n = 85, 32.3%)	7	73	5
Lose weight (n = 114, 43.3%)	7	85	22
Not relevant; not doing anything to change my weight (n = 54, 20.5%)	8	43	3

Notes:

a BMI categories based on WHO classification;¹⁷

b data are shown for n = 263. Trend significant.

* P < 0.05.

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; WHO, World Health Organization.

World Health Organization2000Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemicGenevaWorld Health Organization http://apps.who.int/bmi/index.jsp?introPage=intro_3.htmlAccessed 16 May 2012

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