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Late Breaking/Rapid Science Poster Session 1

(LB02-17-24) Gender Discrepancies in Mental Health, Body Image, and Unhealthy Weight Management Behaviors Among Young Adults

Sunday, June 30, 2024
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM CT
Location: W185A-C - Poster Board 17
Disclosure(s):
Hyemi Sun, M.Ed.: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Jisu Lee, PhD Candidate: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: Unhealthy weight management behaviors (UWMB) are multifactorial, and their association with mental health, one of the foremost health concerns in young adults, is consistently recognized. However, research exploring gender discrepancies in this association remains limited. This study aimed to examine the relationship between mental health and UWMB, considering gender differences.

Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized the 2022 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey dataset. The sample consisted of 163 women and 184 men aged 19-25 years. Respondents were asked about their experiences over the past year with each of the seven UWMB items. Depression was assessed using the 9-item PHQ-9 (cutoff score > 5 for depressive symptoms). Anxiety was measured using the 7-item GAD-7 (cutoff score > 5 for anxiety symptoms). Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS 26.0.

Results: The prevalence of UWMB was higher among women compared to men (29.3% vs. 12.8%). Among those practicing UWMB, a higher percentage perceived themselves as slightly obese or obese (57.3%) compared to non-practitioners (35.7%). Participants engaging in UWMB were more likely to overestimate body image self-discrepancies (30.7% vs. 18.4%). It's noteworthy that 44.4% of women engaging in UWMB perceived their body image as normal. Women with depression (PHQ-9 >5) were over twice as likely to engage in UWMB compared to non-depressed counterparts, while anxiety did not show a significant association. Conversely, mental health status did not influence UWMB among men.

Conclusions: UWMB was notably prevalent among women, with depression emerging as a significant predictor. Nutrition scientists and practitioners should integrate initial evaluations for depression specifically in women when crafting personalized strategies for weight management interventions. Additionally, recognizing gender gap in body image perceptions is crucial, as women often perceive themselves as more overweight than men.

Funding Sources: This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) grant funded by the Korea government(MSIT) (No. RS-2023-00279916).