Weight-related issues and high-risk sexual behaviors among college students

Marla E. Eisenberg; Dianne Neumark-Sztainer; Katherine D. Lust

doi:10.3200/JACH.54.2.95-101

Weight-related issues and high-risk sexual behaviors among college students

Marla E. Eisenberg, Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, Katherine D. Lust

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

54 Scopus citations

Abstract

Individuals with high body mass index (BMI), negative body image, and unhealthy weight control behaviors may be more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors than others. Researchers have not fully investigated these relationships in a sample of college students. The authors collected data regarding several weight-related issues and high-risk sexual behaviors (response rate = 39%) from 1,168 college students. Over half reported at least 1 high-risk sexual behavior. After the authors controlled for several demographic characteristics, they found that higher BMIs were associated with increased odds of having a casual sexual partner (odds ratio [OR] = 2.70) and being intoxicated at last intercourse (OR = 2.25). Among women, unhealthy weight control behaviors were associated with having a casual partner (OR = 2.12), using no or unreliable contraception (OR = 1.98), and being intoxicated at last intercourse (OR = 2.31). Weight-related issues were not associated with sexual behaviors among college men. The authors describe their findings within two health behavior frameworks, and they discuss implications for research and health education.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	95-101
Number of pages	7
Journal	Journal of American College Health
Volume	54
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3200/JACH.54.2.95-101
State	Published - 2005

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was supported by Grant MCJ-270834 (D. Neumark-Sztainer, principal investigator) from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Title V, Social Security Act), Health Resources and Service Administration, US Department of Health and Human Services; and Grant U48/CCU513331 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (M. Resnick, principal investigator). All human subjects consented to participation, and the University of Minnesota’s Institutional Review Board approved this study (HSC#0012S75881) on December 11, 2000. The authors thank Dr. Edward Ehlinger and Boynton Health Service for making the data for this project available.

Keywords

Body image
College health
Sexual behavior
Unhealthy weight control

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access

10.3200/JACH.54.2.95-101

Cite this

@article{2ea0b15d221342e396acc6fb90f23882,

title = "Weight-related issues and high-risk sexual behaviors among college students",

abstract = "Individuals with high body mass index (BMI), negative body image, and unhealthy weight control behaviors may be more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors than others. Researchers have not fully investigated these relationships in a sample of college students. The authors collected data regarding several weight-related issues and high-risk sexual behaviors (response rate = 39%) from 1,168 college students. Over half reported at least 1 high-risk sexual behavior. After the authors controlled for several demographic characteristics, they found that higher BMIs were associated with increased odds of having a casual sexual partner (odds ratio [OR] = 2.70) and being intoxicated at last intercourse (OR = 2.25). Among women, unhealthy weight control behaviors were associated with having a casual partner (OR = 2.12), using no or unreliable contraception (OR = 1.98), and being intoxicated at last intercourse (OR = 2.31). Weight-related issues were not associated with sexual behaviors among college men. The authors describe their findings within two health behavior frameworks, and they discuss implications for research and health education.",

keywords = "Body image, College health, Sexual behavior, Unhealthy weight control",

author = "Eisenberg, {Marla E.} and Dianne Neumark-Sztainer and Lust, {Katherine D.}",

note = "Funding Information: This study was supported by Grant MCJ-270834 (D. Neumark-Sztainer, principal investigator) from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Title V, Social Security Act), Health Resources and Service Administration, US Department of Health and Human Services; and Grant U48/CCU513331 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (M. Resnick, principal investigator). All human subjects consented to participation, and the University of Minnesota{\textquoteright}s Institutional Review Board approved this study (HSC#0012S75881) on December 11, 2000. The authors thank Dr. Edward Ehlinger and Boynton Health Service for making the data for this project available.",

year = "2005",

doi = "10.3200/JACH.54.2.95-101",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "54",

pages = "95--101",

journal = "Journal of American College Health",

issn = "0744-8481",

publisher = "Routledge",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Weight-related issues and high-risk sexual behaviors among college students

AU - Eisenberg, Marla E.

AU - Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

AU - Lust, Katherine D.

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by Grant MCJ-270834 (D. Neumark-Sztainer, principal investigator) from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Title V, Social Security Act), Health Resources and Service Administration, US Department of Health and Human Services; and Grant U48/CCU513331 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (M. Resnick, principal investigator). All human subjects consented to participation, and the University of Minnesota’s Institutional Review Board approved this study (HSC#0012S75881) on December 11, 2000. The authors thank Dr. Edward Ehlinger and Boynton Health Service for making the data for this project available.

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - Individuals with high body mass index (BMI), negative body image, and unhealthy weight control behaviors may be more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors than others. Researchers have not fully investigated these relationships in a sample of college students. The authors collected data regarding several weight-related issues and high-risk sexual behaviors (response rate = 39%) from 1,168 college students. Over half reported at least 1 high-risk sexual behavior. After the authors controlled for several demographic characteristics, they found that higher BMIs were associated with increased odds of having a casual sexual partner (odds ratio [OR] = 2.70) and being intoxicated at last intercourse (OR = 2.25). Among women, unhealthy weight control behaviors were associated with having a casual partner (OR = 2.12), using no or unreliable contraception (OR = 1.98), and being intoxicated at last intercourse (OR = 2.31). Weight-related issues were not associated with sexual behaviors among college men. The authors describe their findings within two health behavior frameworks, and they discuss implications for research and health education.

AB - Individuals with high body mass index (BMI), negative body image, and unhealthy weight control behaviors may be more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors than others. Researchers have not fully investigated these relationships in a sample of college students. The authors collected data regarding several weight-related issues and high-risk sexual behaviors (response rate = 39%) from 1,168 college students. Over half reported at least 1 high-risk sexual behavior. After the authors controlled for several demographic characteristics, they found that higher BMIs were associated with increased odds of having a casual sexual partner (odds ratio [OR] = 2.70) and being intoxicated at last intercourse (OR = 2.25). Among women, unhealthy weight control behaviors were associated with having a casual partner (OR = 2.12), using no or unreliable contraception (OR = 1.98), and being intoxicated at last intercourse (OR = 2.31). Weight-related issues were not associated with sexual behaviors among college men. The authors describe their findings within two health behavior frameworks, and they discuss implications for research and health education.

KW - Body image

KW - College health

KW - Sexual behavior

KW - Unhealthy weight control

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=26944478945&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=26944478945&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3200/JACH.54.2.95-101

DO - 10.3200/JACH.54.2.95-101

M3 - Article

C2 - 16255321

AN - SCOPUS:26944478945

VL - 54

SP - 95

EP - 101

JO - Journal of American College Health

JF - Journal of American College Health

SN - 0744-8481

IS - 2

ER -

Weight-related issues and high-risk sexual behaviors among college students

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this