Prevention of shape and weight concerns among college students: An examination of education status variables

Objective: The current study examined whether overlooked aspects of the postsecondary student experience predicted individuals’ body-related concerns, beyond the influence of demographic factors that have upheld explanatory power in past research. Participants: Undergraduate and graduate students (n = 3,259) took part in the multi-institute Healthy Bodies Study during the 2015 academic year. Method: Participants completed an online survey that assessed their undergraduate/graduate statuses, academic majors, extracurricular involvements, and body-related concerns. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were run to answer primary study questions. Results: Gender, body mass index (BMI), undergraduate/graduate student status, being a male graduate student, major, and extracurricular activities predicted shape concern (SC), weight concern (WC), and whether these concerns increased since students began at their universities. The addition of the student-specific variables uniquely contributed to the variance in body-related concerns. Conclusions: Further research on the body-related discontent of the identified student groups should be conducted to elucidate potential campus-based treatment targets.