A longitudinal study of weight and shape concerns and disordered eating groups by gender and their relationship to...

Weight/shape concerns and disordered eating are common among young adults. Minimal research has examined these variables longitudinally by gender and in connection to self-control. The present study examined the level of weight/shape concerns and disordered eating at the end of the first and fourth year of college separately by gender and explored differences in self-control.

Participants included 394 female and 157 male undergraduates (N = 551; 40% non-white) who were categorized into three groups using a cluster analysis by gender: low weight/shape concerns and low disordered eating (LowWS-LowDE group), high weight/shape concerns and low disordered eating (HighWS-LowDE group), and high weight/shape concerns and high disordered eating (HighWS-HighDE group).

Approximately, 62% of women and 54% of men reported having weight/shape concerns and/or disordered eating at the end of the first year of college, and around 51% of women and 44% of men reported having weight/shape concerns and/or disordered eating at the end of the fourth year. Results indicated that those in the HighWS-HighDE group had lower self-control compared to those in the LowWS-LowDE group at the end of the first and fourth year in both women and men. Women, but not men, who worsened in weight/shape concerns and/or disordered eating over time also reported significantly decreased self-control from their first to their fourth year.

Findings support the role of self-control in the maintenance of weight/shape concerns and disordered eating for both women and men.

Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies.