Understanding gendered connections: investigating the relationship between body dissatisfaction and healthy eating in a sample of first-year college students

We investigated the path of body dissatisfaction to intentional healthy eating behaviors. We had 2038 participants from a predominantly first-year college student sample. Path models, including a multiple-group model, were used to test the hypotheses. Our conceptual model included the variables of recent eating behavior, body dissatisfaction, and healthy eating. We also hypothesized that weight status would moderate the association between body dissatisfaction and perceived self-control. Among women, there was a direct association between recent eating behavior and body dissatisfaction and between body dissatisfaction and healthy eating behaviors. Weight status was not a significant moderator, and perceived self-control was not a significant mediator. Among men, the one significant association was between body dissatisfaction and healthy eating intention. The findings highlighted gender differences. During this vulnerable developmental period, the path between body dissatisfaction and healthy eating is stronger for women than men.