Weight-related self-monitoring involves tracking one’s weight, physical activity, and/or dietary intake. Millions of individuals engage in weight-related self-monitoring, with college students among the most likely users. Despite widespread weight-related self-monitoring, there is little research evaluating its consequences. Of particular concern is the potential for weight-related self-monitoring to increase eating disorder risk. The aims of this dissertation were to: 1) understand how undergraduate and graduate college students use methods of dietary self-monitoring and self-weighing with one another, and examine whether certain patterns of weight-related self-monitoring methods are associated with eating disorder risk, 2) examine how college freshmen use technologically-based weight-related self-monitoring, and determine how patterns of technology-based weight-related self-monitoring are associated with eating disorder behaviors, and 3) identify the extent to which technology-based dietary self-monitoring increases eating disorder risk among female undergraduate students. Aim 1 drew from a large cohort of students from 12 universities across the United States and used latent class analysis to identify patterns of weight-related self-monitoring. Methods of weight-related self-monitoring that were assessed included knowing nutrition facts, knowing calorie facts, counting calories, and self-weighing. Eating disorder risk was measured using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). Results of Aim 1 suggest differences in patterns of weight-related self-monitoring by gender. Among females, four patterns were identified: “no weight-related self-monitoring”, “all weight-related self-monitoring” methods, “knowing nutrition/calorie facts”, and “self-weigh only”.
Nutritional SciencesExamining the relationships between weight-related self-monitoring and eating disorder risk among college students
A seminar by PhD Candidate Samantha Hahn
March 10, 2020
10:00 am - 11:30 am
1680 SPH I (Community Room)
1415 Washington Heights
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029
Sponsored by: Nutritional Sciences
Contact Information: Susan Aaronson
Weight-related self-monitoring involves tracking one’s weight, physical activity, and/or dietary intake. Millions of individuals engage in weight-related self-monitoring, with college students among the most likely users. Despite widespread weight-related self-monitoring, there is little research evaluating its consequences. Of particular concern is the potential for weight-related self-monitoring to increase eating disorder risk. The aims of this dissertation were to: 1) understand how undergraduate and graduate college students use methods of dietary self-monitoring and self-weighing with one another, and examine whether certain patterns of weight-related self-monitoring methods are associated with eating disorder risk, 2) examine how college freshmen use technologically-based weight-related self-monitoring, and determine how patterns of technology-based weight-related self-monitoring are associated with eating disorder behaviors, and 3) identify the extent to which technology-based dietary self-monitoring increases eating disorder risk among female undergraduate students. Aim 1 drew from a large cohort of students from 12 universities across the United States and used latent class analysis to identify patterns of weight-related self-monitoring. Methods of weight-related self-monitoring that were assessed included knowing nutrition facts, knowing calorie facts, counting calories, and self-weighing. Eating disorder risk was measured using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). Results of Aim 1 suggest differences in patterns of weight-related self-monitoring by gender. Among females, four patterns were identified: “no weight-related self-monitoring”, “all weight-related self-monitoring” methods, “knowing nutrition/calorie facts”, and “self-weigh only”.