Sex and Race Differences in Dieting and Exercise among University Students. Research Report #3-84.

The attitudes of college students toward diet and exercise were studied, with attention to whether attitudes varied by race and sex. A survey, which included items from the Eating Attitudes Test, was administered to 727 entering freshmen: 305 white females, 286 white males, 46 black females, and 38 black males. The findings showed that diet and exercise are relatively independent activities for men, but for women, they seem to be linked together as a means toward the common end of obtaining the ideal body type. White females were more concerned with diet and weight control than were black women or men of either race. Black men were most likely to exercise regularly, and white men were most likely to eat the same foods each day. This study, which was done on a general population of students, suggests that problems relating to diet, exercise, and body image may be widespread for women, and are an important part of their adjustment to college life. The findings may be useful to counselors and advisers. (Author/SW)