Transitioning to College: A Guide for Penn State Students
Body Image & Eating Disorders
More Positive Body Image Found Among African American Students and Male Students
Body image might become more salient as young adults arrive to college. More interaction with peers in classes and outside of class in social situations might lead to more “sizing up” among students as they compare their body to others. More opportunities for sexual and romantic relationships could also contribute to more self objectification.
The ideal body type portrayed by our society is out of reach for many young women as they aspire to be unrealistically thin. Furthermore, young men might be feeling this social pressure as a muscular frame is becoming society’s ideal to strive for. Body image is an important construct for psychologists to study as it can impact other aspects of young adults’ mental health, such as feelings of depression or disordered eating behaviors. Meghan Gillen and Eva Lefkowitz not only examined differences among male students and female students, but they also examined ethnic differences in body image. Their study was based on a total of 434 African American, Latino/a American, and European American students in their first-semester of college.
As the researchers expected, male students had more positive body image than female students. Female students paid more attention to their appearance and rated the importance of appearance higher than males did. Female students evaluated their appearance more negatively and were less satisfied with areas of their body. These findings could be explained by the greater social pressure felt by young women to strive for thinness. When asked about body dissatisfaction, women were more likely to want their bodies to be smaller, whereas men had greater variability in their responses. Some male students wanted their body’s to be larger, while others wanted their body’s to be smaller. The authors noted that this could be due to some men wanting to be thinner, while also building muscle and getting larger in some areas.
Compared to the European Americans and Latino/a Americans in the study, African Americans had a more positive image. Male and female African American college students may be at an advantage because of greater acceptability of different body sizes in their culture. African American students might be more likely to reject the thin ideal and embrace a healthier or larger body size, greatly easing this social pressure felt by many of their peers. If students of all ethnicities could feel this level of acceptance for their bodies, we would likely see a decline in eating disorders on college campuses.
If you think you need help for an eating disorder or unhealthy thoughts about your weight or appearance, please contact Penn State’s Counseling and Psychological Services.
http://www.sa.psu.edu/caps/
You can also receive free nutrition counseling from registered dieticians at University Health Services. Dieticians can help you identify unhealthy dietary behaviors and assist you in creating a healthy meal plan and setting nutrition goals.
http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health/wellness/nutritionClinic.shtml
Body image might become more salient as young adults arrive to college. More interaction with peers in classes and outside of class in social situations might lead to more “sizing up” among students as they compare their body to others. More opportunities for sexual and romantic relationships could also contribute to more self objectification.
The ideal body type portrayed by our society is out of reach for many young women as they aspire to be unrealistically thin. Furthermore, young men might be feeling this social pressure as a muscular frame is becoming society’s ideal to strive for. Body image is an important construct for psychologists to study as it can impact other aspects of young adults’ mental health, such as feelings of depression or disordered eating behaviors. Meghan Gillen and Eva Lefkowitz not only examined differences among male students and female students, but they also examined ethnic differences in body image. Their study was based on a total of 434 African American, Latino/a American, and European American students in their first-semester of college.
As the researchers expected, male students had more positive body image than female students. Female students paid more attention to their appearance and rated the importance of appearance higher than males did. Female students evaluated their appearance more negatively and were less satisfied with areas of their body. These findings could be explained by the greater social pressure felt by young women to strive for thinness. When asked about body dissatisfaction, women were more likely to want their bodies to be smaller, whereas men had greater variability in their responses. Some male students wanted their body’s to be larger, while others wanted their body’s to be smaller. The authors noted that this could be due to some men wanting to be thinner, while also building muscle and getting larger in some areas.
Compared to the European Americans and Latino/a Americans in the study, African Americans had a more positive image. Male and female African American college students may be at an advantage because of greater acceptability of different body sizes in their culture. African American students might be more likely to reject the thin ideal and embrace a healthier or larger body size, greatly easing this social pressure felt by many of their peers. If students of all ethnicities could feel this level of acceptance for their bodies, we would likely see a decline in eating disorders on college campuses.
If you think you need help for an eating disorder or unhealthy thoughts about your weight or appearance, please contact Penn State’s Counseling and Psychological Services.
http://www.sa.psu.edu/caps/
You can also receive free nutrition counseling from registered dieticians at University Health Services. Dieticians can help you identify unhealthy dietary behaviors and assist you in creating a healthy meal plan and setting nutrition goals.
http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health/wellness/nutritionClinic.shtml
College Students At-Risk For Developing Compulsive Eating and Exercising Behaviors
The focus seems to be on restrictive behaviors when studying eating disorders among the college population, such as anorexia, extreme dieting, or binging and purging with bulimia. Less discussed is the concept of compulsive eating, and even more so, compulsive exercising. We typically associate exercise as a behavior with health benefits, but some college students are pushing themselves beyond normal limits. Authors of a recent article did not specifically define compulsive eating, but considered the behavior to be on the same spectrum as binge eating, or episodes of overeating.
A group of researchers was interested in seeing if a possible relationship existed between compulsive eating and exercise. Their study was based on a sample of 589 undergraduate students from two college campuses. Approximately 7 percent of their sample exhibited compulsive eating behaviors and approximately 18 percent compulsively exercised. A small percentage (2 percent) displayed both behaviors of compulsive eating and exercise.
Female students were more likely than male students to report compulsive eating (2.3 times more likely). Students with higher levels of compulsive eating also tended to have higher levels of aggression, to be less satisfied with their lives, and to be more depressed. Once again demonstrating how one unhealthy behavior can be linked to other aspects of a young person’s psychological well-being. Whereas female students were more likely to compulsively eat, male students were significantly more likely to report compulsive exercise. This finding is in line with previous research that male students display more exercise-dependence. While exercise can have positive effects, like less depressed mood, higher levels of body satisfaction, and the physical benefits, it can be unhealthy if students are exercising obsessively. Asian students were less likely to excessively exercise compared to their African American, Hispanic, and White peers.
This study was only exploratory and the researchers did not focus on potential negative outcomes of these unhealthy behaviors. However, they did conclude that college students might be at an elevated risk of developing compulsive eating and exercising, as displayed by the prevalence rates in their study. Further research is needed to identify which students might be at risk of these excessive unhealthy behaviors.
If you think you need help for an eating disorder or unhealthy thoughts about your weight or appearance, please contact Penn State’s Counseling and Psychological Services. You can also receive free nutrition counseling from registered dieticians at University Health Services. Dieticians can help you identify any unhealthy eating patterns and assist you in creating a nutrition plan.
Counseling and Psychological Services
http://www.sa.psu.edu/caps/
Nutrition Counseling
http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health/wellness/nutritionClinic.shtml
The focus seems to be on restrictive behaviors when studying eating disorders among the college population, such as anorexia, extreme dieting, or binging and purging with bulimia. Less discussed is the concept of compulsive eating, and even more so, compulsive exercising. We typically associate exercise as a behavior with health benefits, but some college students are pushing themselves beyond normal limits. Authors of a recent article did not specifically define compulsive eating, but considered the behavior to be on the same spectrum as binge eating, or episodes of overeating.
A group of researchers was interested in seeing if a possible relationship existed between compulsive eating and exercise. Their study was based on a sample of 589 undergraduate students from two college campuses. Approximately 7 percent of their sample exhibited compulsive eating behaviors and approximately 18 percent compulsively exercised. A small percentage (2 percent) displayed both behaviors of compulsive eating and exercise.
Female students were more likely than male students to report compulsive eating (2.3 times more likely). Students with higher levels of compulsive eating also tended to have higher levels of aggression, to be less satisfied with their lives, and to be more depressed. Once again demonstrating how one unhealthy behavior can be linked to other aspects of a young person’s psychological well-being. Whereas female students were more likely to compulsively eat, male students were significantly more likely to report compulsive exercise. This finding is in line with previous research that male students display more exercise-dependence. While exercise can have positive effects, like less depressed mood, higher levels of body satisfaction, and the physical benefits, it can be unhealthy if students are exercising obsessively. Asian students were less likely to excessively exercise compared to their African American, Hispanic, and White peers.
This study was only exploratory and the researchers did not focus on potential negative outcomes of these unhealthy behaviors. However, they did conclude that college students might be at an elevated risk of developing compulsive eating and exercising, as displayed by the prevalence rates in their study. Further research is needed to identify which students might be at risk of these excessive unhealthy behaviors.
If you think you need help for an eating disorder or unhealthy thoughts about your weight or appearance, please contact Penn State’s Counseling and Psychological Services. You can also receive free nutrition counseling from registered dieticians at University Health Services. Dieticians can help you identify any unhealthy eating patterns and assist you in creating a nutrition plan.
Counseling and Psychological Services
http://www.sa.psu.edu/caps/
Nutrition Counseling
http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health/wellness/nutritionClinic.shtml
Sorority Members Might Be At Greater Risk of Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating Behaviors
Students who are more involved in college organizations may have a greater sense of belonging and fare better when it comes to their psychological well-being. Getting involved in the Greek system is a way for many students to meet new friends and others with similar interests. The Student Affairs website at Penn State discusses the basic principles of fraternity and sorority life on campus. Some of the goals these organizations aim to promote are academic achievement, leadership skills, camaraderie, service and philanthropy, and involvement with alumni. Belonging to such an organization can expose students to many of these opportunities that will help them grow in their personal life, and also help them build a professional identity.
While these are some of the benefits of belonging to such an organization, negative implications can also arise due to social pressure within the group. Susan Basow, Kelly Foran, and Jamila Bookwala of Lafayette College took a closer look at how sorority membership is associated with different measures of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors. Their study compared women in a sorority to those not in a sorority, and to those who were currently nonmembers but planned to join in the future.
Sorority members displayed more risk factors for the development of disordered eating behaviors compared to those not in a sorority. Specifically women in sororities reported more body objectification, attitudes of disordered eating, and perceived social pressure. Furthermore, of the women not currently in a sorority, those who planned to join in the future also had elevated levels of these risk factors. The researchers suggest that women who plan to join a sorority might be similar to those who are already members in terms of their body image and eating attitudes. These women might be more prone to social pressure, the drive for thinness, and body dissatisfaction, and perhaps sororities appeal to this type of young female student.
Even more discouraging, the researchers found that the longer a sorority member lived in a sorority house, the more dissatisfied she was with her body and the higher levels of bulimic behaviors were reported. If sororities do indeed appeal to women at-risk of developing disordered eating behaviors and living in a sorority house increases the likelihood of onset of these behaviors, it is critical for intervention efforts to help these women.
Sorority houses do not exist on Penn State's campus, but sorority members still have the opportunity to live together on a dorm room floor. If sorority members or any other students on Penn State’s campus are facing any of these issues, please contact Counseling and Psychological Services.
Students who are more involved in college organizations may have a greater sense of belonging and fare better when it comes to their psychological well-being. Getting involved in the Greek system is a way for many students to meet new friends and others with similar interests. The Student Affairs website at Penn State discusses the basic principles of fraternity and sorority life on campus. Some of the goals these organizations aim to promote are academic achievement, leadership skills, camaraderie, service and philanthropy, and involvement with alumni. Belonging to such an organization can expose students to many of these opportunities that will help them grow in their personal life, and also help them build a professional identity.
While these are some of the benefits of belonging to such an organization, negative implications can also arise due to social pressure within the group. Susan Basow, Kelly Foran, and Jamila Bookwala of Lafayette College took a closer look at how sorority membership is associated with different measures of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors. Their study compared women in a sorority to those not in a sorority, and to those who were currently nonmembers but planned to join in the future.
Sorority members displayed more risk factors for the development of disordered eating behaviors compared to those not in a sorority. Specifically women in sororities reported more body objectification, attitudes of disordered eating, and perceived social pressure. Furthermore, of the women not currently in a sorority, those who planned to join in the future also had elevated levels of these risk factors. The researchers suggest that women who plan to join a sorority might be similar to those who are already members in terms of their body image and eating attitudes. These women might be more prone to social pressure, the drive for thinness, and body dissatisfaction, and perhaps sororities appeal to this type of young female student.
Even more discouraging, the researchers found that the longer a sorority member lived in a sorority house, the more dissatisfied she was with her body and the higher levels of bulimic behaviors were reported. If sororities do indeed appeal to women at-risk of developing disordered eating behaviors and living in a sorority house increases the likelihood of onset of these behaviors, it is critical for intervention efforts to help these women.
Sorority houses do not exist on Penn State's campus, but sorority members still have the opportunity to live together on a dorm room floor. If sorority members or any other students on Penn State’s campus are facing any of these issues, please contact Counseling and Psychological Services.
