title: Psychosocial and environmental determinants of eating behaviors, physical activity, and weight change among college students: a qualitative analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to identify factors that college students perceived as contributing to healthy and unhealthy eating patterns, physical activity (PA) levels, and weight change.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine 18- to 22-year-old students at a midwestern university participated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six focus groups (3 with each gender) were conducted, and data were analyzed using qualitative software to code and categorize themes and then reduce these to clusters according to commonly practiced methods of qualitative analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eating and PA behaviors appear to be determined by a complex interplay between motivations and self-regulatory skills as well as the unique social and physical environment comprising college life. Moreover, there appear to be gender differences in how these determinants impact behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future research should examine these interactions in the college context in order to further our understanding of potential interventions or environmental modifications that support healthy eating and PA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN 55812, USA. llacaill@d.umn.edu
authors.forename: Lara J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Lacaille
authors.forename: Kim Nichols
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Dauner
authors.forename: Rachel J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Krambeer
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pedersen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001835:Body Weight; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009752:Nutritional Status; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D012984:Software; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D013637:Tape Recording; D014495:Universities; D015430:Weight Gain; D055815:Young Adult