Weight satisfaction and dieting practices among college males in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
To obtain baseline data regarding body mass index (BMI), weight satisfaction and weight perception in male college students. Approaches used to lose weight and characteristics of dieters were also investigated.


METHODS
Written questionnaires and height and weight measurements were used to collect data. Nine-hundred thirty male college students selected by multiple stage sampling among colleges in Taiwan participated in this study. Simple frequency and ANOVA were used to analyze data. Post hoc analyses were performed with the LSD test when the F ratio for the ANOVA was significant at p<0.05.


RESULTS
The mean BMI for all subjects was 21.7. Males with a BMI < or =22.5 are considered thin by Taiwanese and world standards. Yet 34% of these males were attempting to lose weight and 14% percent perceived themselves as either overweight or obese. Exercise was the main approach to losing weight for subjects in all weight categories. Subjects in the dissatisfied/dieting group tended to measure body weight more frequently (p<0.05), spent more time exercising and reading nutrition information (p<0.05) and skipped breakfast and lunch more frequently (p<0.05) than non-dieters. Male dieters ate fewer vegetables and less meat than non-dieters.


CONCLUSIONS
Male college students had frequent misconceptions and dissatisfaction with their body weight. Behavioral characteristics among those dissatisfied with their weight indicate they are at risk for developing eating disorders.
Wong
Y
Y
Department of Nutrition, Chungshan Medical and Dental College, Taichung City, Taiwan.
Chen
S L
SL
Chan
Y C
YC
Wang
M F
MF
Yamamoto
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D012649:Self Concept; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan