Keywords

alcohol, college students, drunkorexia, exercise, gender, weight loss

Abstract

Objective: To explore gender differences regarding weight management behaviors of college drinkers. Participants: Nationally representative sample of college students from the fall 2008 American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment II (N = 26,062 students). Methods: Structural equation modeling was used to examine potential gender differences in associations among exercise, weight loss behaviors, and alcohol use. Results: Critical ratio tests revealed that associations between exercise and weight loss behaviors were more strongly correlated among females as compared with males. For females, there was a small negative association between exercise and drinking behaviors; in contrast, for males, there was a positive relationship between exercise and alcohol use. Weight loss behaviors were positively associated with drinking for both female and male students; however, the association was significantly stronger for females. Conclusions: This investigation furthers previous research on drunkorexia and also sheds additional light on the gender-based differences in weight management behaviors of drinkers.

Original Publication Citation

Adam E. Barry PhD , Shawn Whiteman PhD , Anna K. Piazza-Gardner MS & Alexander C. Jensen PhD (2013) Gender Differences in the Associations Among Body Mass Index, Weight Loss, Exercise, and Drinking Among College Students, Journal of American College Health, 61:7, 407-413, DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2013.823973

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2013-07-15

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/6336

Publisher

Journal of American College Health

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Family Life

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

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Psychology Commons

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