This study aimed to describe body image and related self-esteem and demographic factors among male college freshmen, and to explore the effect of body image on eating disorders and over-exercise behaviors. This study applied a survey design. The participants were 771 male freshmen who filled out a structured questionnaire at a college in northern Taiwan. The participants were divided into three groups based on the discrepancy between actual and ideal BMI values. There were 438 (56.8%) students whose actual BMI equaled ideal BMI, 71 (9.2%) students in the want-to-gain-weight group, and 262 (34%) students in the want-to-lose-weight group. Data analyses were performed using the χ^2 and one-way ANOVA. The study results showed that age and educational systems were significant factors for body image among male freshmen. The three groups were different in the extent of negative emotion resulting from missing exercises and disordered eating behaviors. Post-hoc results showed that students in the want-to-lose-weight group showed more negative emotion resulting from missing exercises and more disordered eating behaviors. The school intervention program should pay special attention to those students who want to lose weight in order to intervene early.
This study aimed to describe body image and related self-esteem and demographic factors among male college freshmen, and to explore the effect of body image on eating disorders and over-exercise behaviors. This study applied a survey design. The participants were 771 male freshmen who filled out a structured questionnaire at a college in northern Taiwan. The participants were divided into three groups based on the discrepancy between actual and ideal BMI values. There were 438 (56.8%) students whose actual BMI equaled ideal BMI, 71 (9.2%) students in the want-to-gain-weight group, and 262 (34%) students in the want-to-lose-weight group. Data analyses were performed using the χ^2 and one-way ANOVA. The study results showed that age and educational systems were significant factors for body image among male freshmen. The three groups were different in the extent of negative emotion resulting from missing exercises and disordered eating behaviors. Post-hoc results showed that students in the want-to-lose-weight group showed more negative emotion resulting from missing exercises and more disordered eating behaviors. The school intervention program should pay special attention to those students who want to lose weight in order to intervene early.