A Study of Weight Control Attempt, Psychosocial Status, Nutrition Behavior and Related Factors among Female University Students

Abstract

This study was designed to examined psychosocial status and nutritional factors(nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes, eating behavior, dietary intakes) among female university students and to investigate if there were differences in these variables by weight loss attempt. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to 225 female university students in Seoul. Survey instrument was adapted or modified based on literature review, and dietary intakes were assessed using 24-hour recall and CAN-pro. Descriptive statistics, t-test x$^2$-test were used in data analysis. Mean height, weight of subjects were 162.7cm, 51.3kg, and mean BMI was 19.4. One hundred-nine students(48.4%) were grouped into weight loss attempt roup and 116 students were grouped int non-attempt group. According to BMI, 58.7% of weight loss attempt group were underweight, suggesting that unnecessary weight control is common in college women. With respect to psychosocial status, subjects received moderate degree of stress and were slightly satisfied with life. There was no significant difference in stress, social support or self-esteem between the two groups, however, students in non-attempt group were more satisfied with their life(p<0.01) and adapted better in school that students in weight loss attempt group. Subjects scored 14.9${\pm}$2.1 (highest score : 20) on nutritional knowledge, and showed favorable dietary attitudes. Overall, nutritional knowledge and dietary attitudes were not significantly different between the two groups. Common eating problems were irregular meals(71.6%), followed by unbalanced meals and eating-out. Subjects in weight loss attempt group were more likely to change eating habit after entering the university and showed more undesirable eating habit. Dietary intake data indicated hat the energy derived from fat was slightly higher than the recommended level. Most of the nutrient intake was lower than the RDA, particularly, iron and calcium intake was below the 50% of the RDA. Although this study did not reveal significant difference in nutritional knowledge or dietary intake by weight loss attempt, this study showed status of weight control, eating habit and dietary intake in female university students, and provide some information for nutrition education of college women.

Keywords

• weight control;
• nutritional knowledge;
• attitudes;
• eating havior;
• dietary intakes;
• psychosocial status;
• female university students