Disordered eating and the use of unhealthy weight control methods in college students: 1995, 2002, and 2008.

This study investigated whether eating disorders and the use of unhealthy weight control methods increased over time in male and female university undergraduate students. Data from three random sample surveys of college students were collected over a 13-year period to investigate trends in disordered eating and unhealthy weight control behaviors. Data were collected in 2008 from 641 male and female randomly sampled undergraduate students were compared to 274 randomly sampled undergraduates surveyed in 2002 and 493 surveyed in 1995. Behaviors falling within the diagnostic category of eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) in both males and females significantly increased over time in accordance with the use of unhealthy weight control methods. Eating disorders should be routinely addressed by college health professionals through both treatment and prevention efforts, especially considering the frequent concurrent psychiatric and physiological comorbidities.

Impact of instructor and course characteristics on the effectiveness of curriculum infusion.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the impact of Curriculum Infusion (CI) on undergraduates' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding alcohol and other drug (AOD) use. The related effects of students' perceptions of instructors' credibility and immediacy were also examined. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 309 undergraduates enrolled in 14 CI classes between Winter 2003 and Spring 2004. METHODS: In a pretest-posttest design, participants were surveyed about their substance use, behavioral consequences of substance use, knowledge, and attitudes about alcohol, and their perceptions of the credibility and immediacy of their CI course instructors. RESULTS: Findings indicate that students who perceived their CI instructors as more credible and more immediate were more knowledgeable about alcohol and had healthier attitudes about substance use. Additionally, course size was found to contribute to CI's effectiveness. CONCLUSION: CI provides faculty with an effective way to make a difference not only in their students' education but also in their health and well-being.

Impact of curriculum infusion on college students' drinking behaviors.

OBJECTIVE: A posttest-only experimental design was used to examine the effectiveness of curriculum infusion (CI) in reducing alcohol consumption and associated negative consequences among college students. METHODS: Faculty teaching 2 identical courses during the same quarter were recruited; both classes were randomly assigned to either a treatment or control group, and alcohol information was infused into the treatment classes in addition to the regular curriculum. PARTICIPANTS: A diverse group of 343 undergraduate students participated, with 179 students in the treatment classes and 164 in the control classes. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in alcohol consumption between the 2 groups. Students in the treatment classes reported significantly less negative consequences related to drinking than their counterparts. The effectiveness of CI was not related to subject matter and was equally effective with all students. CONCLUSION: CI was effective in reducing negative drinking consequences in college students despite not affecting drinking behaviors.

Longitudinal evaluation of peer health education on a college campus: impact on health behaviors.

OBJECTIVE: The authors investigated the longitudinal impact of peer health education on the health behaviors of undergraduate students pertaining to alcohol and drug use, eating and nutrition, and sexual health. PARTICIPANTS: From fall 2003 to spring 2006, the authors annually administered a Web-based survey to a cohort of 2,000 randomly selected undergraduate students. RESULTS: Students who had contact with peer health educators were significantly more likely over time than other students to report less alcohol consumption and fewer related negative consequences. Results also show that students who had contact with peer health educators initially endorsed engaging in unhealthy weight management and fat talk behaviors during their first year but decreased these unhealthy behaviors by their third year. No significant differences in sexual health behaviors were found. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that peer health educators play an important role in promoting healthy behaviors in the areas of alcohol and drug use and in eating and nutrition.

Eating disorders and body image of undergraduate men.

UNLABELLED: Eating disorders and body dissatisfaction among undergraduate men are less documented and researched than are eating disorders and body dissatisfaction among undergraduate women. OBJECTIVE AND PARTICIPANTS: In this study, the authors examined these issues in undergraduate men to identify similarities and differences between this population and undergraduate women. METHODS: In a random sample of undergraduates, the authors categorized respondents by gender and by presence or absence of an eating disorder. The authors compared undergraduate men with an eating disorder with (1) undergraduate women with an eating disorder and (2) undergraduate men without an eating disorder. RESULTS: The patterns of responses suggest that undergraduate men with an eating disorder are preoccupied with body shape and tone but not necessarily with losing weight. CONCLUSIONS: The authors discuss implications for future prevention as well as clinical and research efforts based on male symptoms within the diagnostic category of bulimia nervosa and eating disorder, not otherwise specified.

Fat talk among college students: how undergraduates communicate regarding food and body weight, shape & appearance.

This article is based on an empirical study designed to learn more about how college students communicate regarding food and body/weight/shape/appearance. Data from a survey of 272 randomly selected college students (82 males and 190 females) were collected and analyzed to explore the relationships of "fat talk," a behavior described by Nichter to refer to conversations about eating and body-related issues, to eating pathology and body dissatisfaction. Results indicate that the frequency of fat talk is positively related to eating pathology and body dissatisfaction in students with and without an eating-disorder diagnosis. Furthermore, results reveal that the most frequently reported topic of fat talk was other people's appearance. Suggestions for modifying conventional prevention and intervention efforts aimed at decreasing undergraduate eating pathology and body dissatisfaction by incorporating strategies to reduce the occurrence of "fat talk" are included.