Malinauskas Brenda M, Raedeke Thomas D, Aeby Victor G, Smith Jean L, Dallas Matthew B
Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Nutr J. 2006 Mar 31;5:11. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-5-11.
Of concern to health educators is the suggestion that college females practice diet and health behaviors that contradict the 2005 dietary guidelines for Americans. In this regard, there remain gaps in the research related to dieting among college females. Namely, do normal weight individuals diet differently from those who are overweight or obese, and are there dieting practices used by females that can be adapted to promote a healthy body weight? Since it is well recognized that females diet, this study seeks to determine the dieting practices used among normal, overweight, and obese college females (do they diet differently) and identify dieting practices that could be pursued to help these females more appropriately achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
A total of 185 female college students aged 18 to 24 years participated in this study. Height, weight, waist and hip circumferences, and skinfold thickness were measured to assess body composition. Surveys included a dieting practices questionnaire and a 30-day physical activity recall. Participants were classified according to body mass index (BMI) as normal weight (n = 113), overweight (n = 35), or obese (n = 21). Data were analyzed using JMP IN(R) software. Descriptive statistics included means, standard deviations, and frequency. Subsequent data analysis involved Pearson X2 and one-way analysis of variance with comparison for all pairs that were significantly different using Tukey-Kramer honestly significant difference test.
Outcomes of this study indicate the majority of participants (83%) used dieting for weight loss and believed they would be 2% to 6% greater than current weight if they did not diet; normal weight, overweight, and obese groups perceived attractive weight to be 94%, 85%, and 74%, respectively, of current weight; 80% of participants reported using physical activity to control weight, although only 19% exercised at a level that would promote weight loss; only two of 15 dieting behaviors assessed differed in terms of prevalence of use among groups, which were consciously eating less than you want (44% normal weight, 57% overweight, 81% obese) and using artificial sweeteners (31% normal weight and overweight, 5% obese); and the most prevalent explicit maladaptive weight loss behavior was smoking cigarettes (used by 9% of participants) and most unhealthy was skipping breakfast (32%).
Collectively, results indicate female college students, regardless of weight status, would benefit from open discussions with health educators regarding healthy and effective dieting practices to achieve/maintain a healthy body weight. The results are subject to replication among high school, middle-aged, and older females.
健康教育工作者关注的是，有迹象表明大学女生的饮食和健康行为与2005年美国膳食指南相悖。在这方面，有关大学女生节食的研究仍存在空白。具体而言，正常体重的人与超重或肥胖的人节食方式是否不同，女性采用的节食方法中是否有可用于促进健康体重的方法？鉴于女性节食现象已广为人知，本研究旨在确定正常体重、超重和肥胖的大学女生所采用的节食方法（她们的节食方式是否不同），并找出有助于这些女性更合理地实现并维持健康体重的节食方法。
共有185名年龄在18至24岁之间的大学女生参与了本研究。测量了身高、体重、腰围、臀围和皮褶厚度以评估身体成分。调查包括一份节食方法问卷和一份30天身体活动回顾。参与者根据体重指数（BMI）分为正常体重组（n = 113）、超重组（n = 35）或肥胖组（n = 21）。使用JMP IN(R)软件进行数据分析。描述性统计包括均值、标准差和频率。后续数据分析涉及Pearson X2检验和单因素方差分析，并使用Tukey-Kramer真实显著性差异检验对所有显著不同的组对进行比较。
本研究结果表明，大多数参与者（83%）通过节食来减肥，并认为如果不节食，体重会比当前体重高出2%至6%；正常体重、超重和肥胖组认为的理想体重分别为当前体重的94%、85%和74%；80%的参与者报告通过体育活动来控制体重，尽管只有19%的人运动强度能促进体重减轻；在评估的15种节食行为中，只有两种行为在不同组中的使用频率存在差异，即有意识地少吃（正常体重组为44%，超重组为57%，肥胖组为81%）和使用人工甜味剂（正常体重组和超重组为31%，肥胖组为5%）；最普遍的明显适应不良的减肥行为是吸烟（9%的参与者有此行为），最不健康的是不吃早餐（32%）。
总体而言，结果表明，无论体重状况如何，大学女生若能与健康教育工作者就实现/维持健康体重的健康有效节食方法展开公开讨论，将会受益。这些结果有待在高中女生、中年女性和老年女性中进行重复验证。
