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Objective: The aims of the study were to assess whether women during the first year of college experience (1) significant weight gain; (2) a prospective relation between dietary restraint and weight gain; (3) an increase in disordered eating; and (4) a prospective relation between dietary restraint or concern about the Freshmen 15 (i.e., weight gain of 15 lbs during the freshman year of college) and disordered eating.\n\nMethod\nParticipants were 336 female students in their first year of college who completed questionnaire measures of Body Mass Index (BMI), eating disorder pathology, dietary restraint, body image, and self-esteem.\n\nResults\nParticipants' mean weight gain was approximately 3 lbs (1.5 kg), and among those who gained weight, the mean gain was 7.32 lbs (3.3 kg). Dietary restraint in September did not predict weight change in April, but participants who lost weight reported significantly greater dietary restraint than those participants who gained weight. Eating disorder symptoms increased significantly from September to April. Dietary restraint, concern about the "Freshman 15", and self-esteem in September uniquely predicted EDE-Q Weight and Shape Concern subscale scores in April.\n\nDiscussion\nFemale students in their first year of college gain a small but significant amount of weight, and weight gain was mostly unrelated to dietary restraint. Disordered eating increases during the first year of college and, is predicted by prospective dietary restraint and concerns about weight gain.

Earlier studies associated the first year of college with a dramatic increase in body weight, termed the "freshman 15". However, recent studies showed that weight gain might be smaller. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the extent of observed weight/body composition changes, including factors associated with them, among students entering university. Searches were conducted for studies examining weight/body composition changes during freshman semesters. Most studies were not comprehensive in assessing numerous potential causative factors for weight gain. Methods for assessing diet, physical activity, and behavioral factors varied among studies. Weight changes were often not quantified by measures of body composition (lean/fat) to ascertain that changes were limited just to gains in fat mass. Overall, weight changes ranged from 0.7-3.1 kg, but among individuals who gained weight, the range was narrower, 3.1-3.4 kg. There may be specific groups of students with a greater predisposition for weight gain and future research should focus on identifying those groups.

Saules, Karen. "The contributions of weight problem perception, BMI, gender, mood, and smoking status to binge eating among college students." Eating Behaviors 10.1 (2009): 1-9. Ohio Link. Web. 8 Nov. 2010.\n\nCollege student participants completed a web-based survey assessing demographics, depression, anxiety, body image, cigarette smoking, and weight history. Among overweight participants, 42.6% of those who believed they were overweight admitted to binge eating, while only 30.1% who did not feel overweight did so. Among non-overweight participants, 43.2% of those who believed they were overweight admitted to binge eating, while only 32.9% of those who did not feel overweight did so. Weight Problem Perception mediated the contribution of BMI on binge eating outcomes, and WPP contributed significantly to the prediction of binge eating, beyond the risk conferred by established correlates of binge eating ( gender, mood, and cigarette smoking). Results suggest that when assessing risk for binge eating, a one-question assessment of whether or not an individual believes he or she is overweight has significant predictive power.

Harring, Holly, Kara Montgomery, James Hardin. "Perceptions of Body Weight, Weight Management Strategies, and Depressive Symptoms Among US College Students." Journal of American College Health 59.1 (Jul/Aug 2010): 43-50. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 21 Nov. 2010 The purpose of this study is to determine if American college students have a healthy perception on their body weight. They also studied if a misperception caused increased depression among students.

Lloyd-Richardson, Elizabeth. "The relationship between alcohol use, eating habits and weight change in college freshmen." Eating Behaviors 9.4 (2008): 504-8. Ohio Link. Web. 8 Nov. 2010.\n\nA group of reasearchers preformed a study that aimed to improve understanding of how alcohol consumption in college freshmen affects eating patterns before, during, and after drinking, as well as its relation to body weight change. They used \ntwo hundred eighty-two college freshmen (61% female; 59% Caucasian) completed measures of alcohol use, measured body mass index (BMI), and eating and activity habits before, during and following drinking episodes. Students were categorized by drinking status (non-drinker, low-risk, and moderate/high-risk) in order to explore group differences. There results were that moderate risk drinkers were more likely than low-risk drinkers to report increases in appetite after drinking, with nearly half of students reporting overeating and making unhealthy food choices following drinking. Moderate-risk drinkers also demonstrated significant increases in 1st semester BMI change, relative to non-drinkers and low-risk drinkers.\n\n\n\n

Yiou, Fan, et al. "Associations between body mass index, weight control concerns and behaviors, and eating disorder symptoms among non-clinical Chineseadolescents." BMC Public Health 10.(2010): 314-325. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 15 Nov. 2010. Although this article's data is taken from China, the data is also relevant here. A study was taken from both men and women and their body mass index. After the study the scientists reviewed that most of the adolescents scored very high in having problems or disorders. I can only conclude that here in the United States that we would have an even bigger problem than China.

Agliata, Daniel, and Stacey Tantleff-Dunn. "THE IMPACT OF MEDIA EXPOSURE ON MALES' BODY IMAGE." Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology 23.1 (2004): 7-22. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. Most of the research done with the effects the media has on body image is done with women. However, men are also greatly effected by the media. While women are told to be thinner and smaller men are told to be stronger and bigger. Women are told to loose weight and diet while men are told to be more muscular and lift weights. In the past studies have shown that women feel the pressure to be thin because of the media. What more recent studies are showing is the increase pressure that men also feel to be more muscular.