Keywords
Obesity -- Psychological aspects, Sex differences, Weight loss, Gender differences in dieting behaviors, Female body image dissatisfaction, Socialization influences on eating habits, Weight-control and dieting prevalence, Biological versus social determinants of obesity
Abstract
Obesity constitutes one of America's major health problems. It has been estimated that there are 40 to 80 million Americans who are considered obese (Stuart & Davis, 1972). When 20% above ideal weight is used as a criterion of overweight, it is approximated that 25% to 45% of American adults fall into this category (Rodin, 1977).
There is a sex difference in the prevalence of obesity. While some studies suggest that biological factors predispose females toward obesity (Stuart & Jacobson, 1979), other studies attribute the sex differences to social factors (Hall & Havassy 1981; Wooley, Wooley, & Dyrenforth 1979a; Zegman 1983). Research has shown that females tend to be more concerned with their body image than their male counterparts and therefore dieting is more frequent among females (Dwyer & Mayer 1970; Zegman 1983). Sex differences in dietary practices and attitudes toward weight may reflect differential social learning histories between males and females.
Notes
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Graduation Date
1985
Semester
Spring
Advisor
Zegman, Marilyn A.
Degree
Master of Science (M.S.)
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Psychology
Degree Program
Clinical Psychology
Format
Language
English
Rights
Public Domain
Length of Campus-only Access
None
Access Status
Masters Thesis (Open Access)
Identifier
DP0017156
Subjects
Body image--Sex differences; Health attitudes--Sex differences; Health behavior--Sex differences; Overweight persons--Attitudes; Obesity--Social aspects
STARS Citation
Rollins, Mary F., "Sex Differences in Dietary Practices and Attitudes Toward Weight" (1985). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 4782.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/rtd/4782
Contributor (Linked data)
Accessibility Status
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