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Is health behavior among university students determined by actual body shape or by body image? A European study.
- Source :
- Work; 2021, Vol. 70 Issue 3, p937-944, 8p, 5 Charts
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- BACKGROUND: Appropriate body image self-perceptions provide a good help to increase the feeling of personal well-being, thus having an important impact on health. Universities, having an important role in shaping of the future workers, represent an important setting to approach health issues. OBJECTIVE: This study determined to what extent different types of students in higher education (four categories of students were created: "self-secure", "perfect", "destructive" and "apologetic") are likely to adopt different health risk behaviors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study in a sample of students from five European Universities in the 2016/2017 academic year was conducted. Based on the combination of body image perception and body mass index, four types of students were identified: "self-secure" (overweight students with a good self-esteem); "perfect" (underweight students with a good self-esteem); "destructive" (overweight students with a poor self-esteem); "apologetic" (underweight students with a poor self-esteem). RESULTS: The study reveals that the defined types of students differed in terms of risk behavior. When the control was included, the "self-secure" student type had a reduced likelihood of being on a diet (22.3%) and physically active (17.8%) than other students (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this paper raise concerns about the future because the body dissatisfaction of the college student could be a big impact in long term whether at collective, personally or even professionally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- OBESITY
RISK-taking behavior
LIFESTYLES
FOOD habits
PSYCHOLOGY of college students
SELF-perception
CROSS-sectional method
HUMAN sexuality
DIET
BINGE drinking
REGRESSION analysis
LEANNESS
PHYSICAL activity
COMPARATIVE studies
SOCIOECONOMIC factors
HEALTH behavior
RESEARCH funding
UNIVERSITIES & colleges
QUESTIONNAIRES
GRADUATE education
SEX customs
SCALE analysis (Psychology)
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
GRADUATE students
STUDENT attitudes
BODY mass index
SMOKING
STATISTICAL correlation
BODY image
ALCOHOL drinking in college
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 10519815
- Volume :
- 70
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Work
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 154047271
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-213613