Title:

Reported Perceived Weight Status and Weight Goals Among College Students and Their Relationships with Type of Major

Objectives: Previous studies suggest that college students, particularly nutrition and some allied-health majors, tend to have skewed perceptions about weight status and weight goals. As these behaviors can increase the risk for disordered eating patterns, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between reported perceived weight status and weight loss goals by academic major at the University of New Hampshire. Methods: Data were collected between 2008-2018 in a sample of college students (ages 18-24) participating in an on-going cross-sectional health survey at a midsize, northeastern university. Students completed an online questionnaire and self-reported their perceived weight status and weight loss goals. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as kg/m2. Proportional differences between perceived weight status according to major [Nutrition (NutM), Allied Health (AllM), All Other Majors (OthM)] were assessed using chi-square analysis. Results: The majority of students report their weight as normal, however, NutM were most like to report normal weight (NutM=74% vs. AllM=68.6%, OthM=65.5%, p=0.004). About half of students’ report losing weight as a goal (NutM=51.9%, AllM=48.7%, OthM=51.9%, p<0.001). Among women, NutM had the most accuracy in reported weight status for the “normal weight” category as compared to AllM and OthM (64.6% vs 61.7% and 57.7%, p<0.038). Conclusion: Our results indicate most students perceive themselves as being a normal weight but also report losing weight as the common weight goal. Findings may be helpful to college educators in targeting health education to subgroups of students. Funding Sources: New Hampshire Agriculture Experiment Station and USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hatch Project 1010738.

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