title: Multiple types of dieting prospectively predict weight gain during the freshman year of college.
abstract: The freshman year of college is a period of heightened risk for weight gain. This study examined measures of restrained eating, disinhibition, and emotional eating as predictors of weight gain during the freshman year. Using Lowe's multi-factorial model of dieting, it also examined three different types of dieting as predictors of weight gain. Sixty-nine females were assessed at three points during the school year. Weight gain during the freshman year averaged 2.1 kg. None of the traditional self-report measures of restraint, disinhibition, or emotional eating were predictive of weight gain. However, both a history of weight loss dieting and weight suppression (discrepancy between highest weight ever and current weight) predicted greater weight gain, and these effects appeared to be largely independent of one another. Individuals who said they were currently dieting to lose weight gained twice as much (5.0 kg) as former dieters (2.5 kg) and three times as much as never dieters (1.6 kg), but the import of this finding was unclear because there was only a small number of current dieters (N = 7). Overall the results indicate that specific subtypes of dieting predicts weight gain during the freshman year better than more global measures of restraint or overeating.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Mail Stop 626, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA. lowe@drexel.edu
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.forename: Rachel A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Annunziato
authors.forename: Jessica Tuttman
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Markowitz
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Didie
authors.forename: Dara L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Bellace
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Riddell
authors.forename: Caralynn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maille
authors.forename: Shortie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McKinney
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stice
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D004435:Eating / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013334:Students; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*