Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Young Adults’ Attitudes and Perceptions of Obesity and Weight Management: Implications for Treatment Development

  • Etiology of Obesity (T Gill, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Obesity Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Young adults are underrepresented in standard behavioral weight loss trials, and evidence suggests that they differ from older adults on many weight-related constructs. The aim of this review is to explore young adults’ attitudes toward obesity and weight management, with particular attention to those factors that may play a role in the development of future treatment efforts. Both intrapersonal and interpersonal considerations unique to young adulthood are assessed; in addition, we examine young adults’ perceptions of specific weight-related behaviors such as dieting, physical activity, and self-weighing. Conclusions are consistent with other findings suggesting that weight management interventions should be adapted and designed specifically for this age group.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance

  1. National Institutes of Health. Targeted approaches to weight control for young adults. Request for Applications. http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HL-08-007.html. April 8, 2008. Accessed October 26, 2015.

  2. Anderson DA, Shapiro JR, Lundgren JD. The freshman year of college as a critical period for weight gain: an initial evaluation. Eat Behav. 2003;4:363–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. The NS, Gordon-Larsen P. Entry into romantic partnership is associated with obesity. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2009;17(7):1441–7.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Gunderson EP, Adams B. Epidemiology of gestational weight gain and body weight changes after pregnancy. Epidemiol Rev. 2000;22(2):261–74.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Duffey KJ, Gordon-Larsen P, Jacobs DR, Williams OD, Popkin BM. Differential associations of fast food and restaurant food consumption with 3-y change in body mass index: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;85:201.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Niemeier HM, Raynor HA, Lloyd-Richardson E, Rogers ML, Wing RR. Fast food consumption and breakfast skipping: predictors of weight gain from adolescence to adulthood in a nationally representative sample. J Adolesc Health. 2006;39:842–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Huffman L, West DS. Readiness to change sugar sweetened beverage intake among college students. Eat Behav. 2007;8:10–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Sidney S, Sternfeld B, Haskell WL, Jacobs DR, Chesney MA, Hulley SB. Television viewing and cardiovascular risk factors in young adults: the CARDIA study. Ann Epidemiol. 1996;6:154–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Muyle TP, Park MJ, Nelson CD, Adams SH, Irwin Jr CE, Brindis CD. Trends in adolescent and young adult health in the United States. J Adolesc Health. 2009;45(1):8–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. BRFSS 2010. Overweight and obesity prevalence and trends. Data retrieved from http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss/age.asp?cat=OB&yr=2013&qkey=8261&state=UB. Accessed 30 March 2015.

  11. Truesdale KP, Stevens J, Lewis CE, Schreiner PJ, Loria CM, Cai J. Changes in risk factors for cardiovascular disease by baseline weight status in young adults who maintain or gain weight over 15 years: the CARDIA study. Int J Obes. 2006;30(9):1397–407.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Lewis CE, Jacobs DR, McCreath H, et al. Weight gain continues in the 1990s: 10-year trends in weight and overweight from the CARDIA study. Am J Epidemiol. 2000;151(12):1172–81.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Gokee-LaRose J, Gorin AA, Raynor HA, …, Wing RR. Are standard behavioral weight loss programs effective for young adults? Int Obes. 2009;33(12):1374–1380.

  14. Loria CM, Signore C, Arteaga S. The need for targeted weight control approaches in young women and men. Am J Prev Med. 2010;38(2):233–5.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Tsai SA, Lv N, Xiao L, Ma J. Gender differences in weight-related attitudes and behaviors among overweight and obese adults in the United States. Am J Mens Health. 2015.

  16. Gokee-LaRose J, Gorin AA, Clarke MM, Wing RR. Beliefs about weight gain among young adults: potential challenges to prevention. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2011;19(9):1901–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Antin TM, Paschall MJ. Weight perception, weight change intentions, and alcohol use among young adults. Body Image. 2011;8(2):149–56.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Wardle J, Haase AM, Steptoe A. Body image and weight control in young adults: international comparisons in university students from 22 countries. Int J Obes. 2006;30(4):644–51.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Robertson A, Mullan B, Todd J. A qualitative exploration of experiences of overweight young and older adults. An application of the integrated behaviour model. Appetite. 2014;75:157–64.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Dallesasse SL, Kluck SL. Reality television and the muscular male ideal. Body Image. 2013;10(3):309–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. LaRose JG, Fava JL, Wing RR. Developing weight loss programs for young adults: do men and women want different things? (Abstract). Obesity. 2011;19(S1):S184.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Tate DF, LaRose JG, Griffin LP, …, Wing RR. Recruitment of young adults into a randomized controlled trial of weight gain prevention: Message development, methods, and cost. Trials. 2014;15:326.

  23. Moe SG, Lytle LA, Nanney MS, Linde JA, Laska MN. Recruiting and retaining young adults in a weight gain prevention trial: lessons learned from the CHOICES study. Clin Trials. 2015.

  24. Plotnikoff RC, Costigan SA, Williams RL, …, Germov J. Effectiveness of interventions targeting physical activity, nutrition and healthy weight for university and college students: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2015;12:45. Systematic review and meta-analysis of weight-related intervention studies conducted with college students. While programs demonstrated moderate success with respect to improvements in nutrition and physical activity, only 4/12 studies assessing weight loss outcomes reported significant positive results.

  25. Crane MM. Increasing recruitment for weight gain prevention: testing message targeting and type (Abstract). Ann Behav Med. 2015;49 Suppl 1:S42.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Chithambo TP, Huey SJ. Black/white differences in perceived weight and attractiveness among overweight women. J Obes. 2013. doi:10.1155/2013/320326.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Richmond TK, Thurston I, Sonneville K, Milliren C, Walls CE, Austin SB. Racial/ethnic differences in accuracy of body mass index reporting in a diverse cohort of young adults. Int J Obes. 2015;39(3):546–8. Highlights racial differences in perceptions of body mass index among a diverse sample of young adults in the United States. Black men and women, Hispanic women, and Native American men reported higher BMIs than Caucasians of similar weights; at higher BMIs, this resulted in greater reporting accuracy for these racial/ethnic minorities.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Lynch E, Liu K, Spring B, Hankinson A, Wei GS, Greenland P. Association of ethnicity and socioeconomic status with judgments of body size: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2007;165(9):1055–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Rahman M, Berenson AB. Self-perception of weight and its association with weight-related behaviors in young reproductive-age women. Obstet Gynecol. 2010;116(6):1274–80.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Gross SM, Gary TL, Browne DC, LaVeist TA. Gender differences in body images and health perceptions among graduating seniors from a historically black college. J Natl Med Assoc. 2005;97(12):1608–19.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Grabe S, Hyde JS. Ethnicity and body dissatisfaction among women in the United States: a meta-analysis. Psychol Bull. 2006;132(4):622–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Riley NM, Bild DE, Cooper L, …, Thompson JK. Relation of self-image to body size and weight loss attempts in black women: the CARDIA study. Coronary artery risk development in young adults. Am J Epidemiol. 1998;148(11):1062–1068.

  33. Singh D. Body fat distribution and perception of desirable female body shape by young black men and women. Int J Eat Disord. 1994;16(3):289–94.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Mount DL, Davis C, Kennedy B, …, Look AHEAD Research Group. Factors influencing enrollment of African Americans in the Look AHEAD trial. Clin Trials. 2012;9(1):80–89.

  35. Kumanyika SK, Obarzanek E, Stevens VJ, Hebert PR, Whelton PK. Weight-loss experience of black and white participants in NHLBI-sponsored clinical trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 1991;53(6 Suppl):1631S–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Davis KK, Tate DF, Lang W, …, Jakicic JM. Racial differences in weight loss among adults in a behavioral weight loss intervention: role of diet and physical activity. J Phys Act Health. 2015.

  37. Bild DE, Sholinsky P, Smith DE, Lewis CE, Hardin JM, Burke GL. Correlates and predictors of weight loss in young adults: the CARDIA study. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1996;20(1):47–55.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Osei-Assibey G, Boachie C. Dietary interventions for weight loss and cardiovascular risk reduction in people of African ancestry (blacks): a systematic review. Public Health Nutr. 2012;15(1):110–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Teixeira PJ, Silva MN, Mata J, Palmeira AL, Markland D. Motivation, self-determination, and long-term weight control. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2012;9:22.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Greaney ML, Less FD, White AA, …, Greene GW. College students’ barriers and enablers for healthful weight management: a qualitative study. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2009;41(4):281–286.

  41. LaRose JG, Leahey TM, Hill JO, Wing RR. Differences in motivations and weight loss behaviors in young adults and older adults in the National Weight Control Registry. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2013;21(3):449–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Lanoye A, Grenga A, Leahey TM, LaRose JG. Weight loss motives and relationship to outcomes in a lifestyle intervention: young v. older adults (Abstract). Ann Behav Med. 2015;49 Suppl 1:S42.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Corsino L, Lin PH, Batch BC, …, Voils CI. Recruiting young adults into a weight loss trial: report of protocol development and recruitment results. Contemp Clin Trials. 2013;35(2):1–7.

  44. Walsh JR, White AA, Greaney ML. Using focus groups to identify factors affecting healthy weight maintenance in college men. Nutr Res. 2009;29(6):371–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Gorin AA, Phelan S, Hill JO, Wing RR. Medical triggers are associated with better short- and long-term weight loss outcomes. Prev Med. 2004;39(3):612–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Collins SE, Kirouac M, Lewis MA, Witkiewitz K, Carey KB. Randomized controlled trial of web-based decisional balance feedback and personalized normative feedback for college drinkers. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2014;75(6):982–92.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  47. Arnett JJ, Schwab J. The Clark University poll of emerging adults: thriving, struggling, & hopeful. https://www.clarku.edu/clark-poll-emerging-adults/pdfs/clark-university-poll-emerging-adults-findings.pdf. December 2012. Accessed October 5, 2015.

  48. American Psychological Association. Stress in America: stress by generation. http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2012/generation.pdf. 2012. Accessed October 5, 2015.

  49. Pelletier JE, Laska MN. Balancing healthy meals and busy lives: associations between work, school, and family responsibilities and perceived time constraints among young adults. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2012;44(6):481–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  50. Nelson MC, Kocos R, Lytle LA, Perry CL. Understanding the perceived determinants of weight-related behaviors in late adolescence: a quantitative analysis among college youth. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2009;41(4):287–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Pelletier JE, Lytle LA, Laska MN. Stress, health risk behaviors, and weight status among community college students. Health Educ Behav. 2015.

  52. Wansink B, Cheney MM, Chan N. Exploring comfort food preferences across age and gender. Physiol Behav. 2003;79(4–5):739–47.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Grubbs L, Carter J. The relationship of perceived benefits and barriers to reported exercise behaviors in college undergraduates. Fam Community Health. 2002;25(2):76–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Bennett J, Greene G, Schwartz-Barcott D. Perceptions of emotional eating behavior: a qualitative study of college students. Appetite. 2013;60(1):187–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. LaRose JG, Tate DF, Lanoye A, …, Wing RR. Adapting evidence-based behavioral weight loss programs for emerging adults: findings from formative work and a pilot randomized controlled trial. Ann Behav Med. Under review.

  56. Batch BC, Tyson C, Bagwell J, …, Svetkey LP. Weight loss intervention for young adults using mobile technology: design and rationale of a randomized controlled trial —Cell Phone Intervention for You (CITY). Contemp Clin Trials. 2014;37(2):333–341.

  57. Lin PH, Intille S, Bennett G, …, Svetkey LP. Adaptive intervention design in mobile health: intervention design and development in the Cell Phone Intervention for You trial. Clin Trials. 2015.

  58. Gardner J, Kjolhaug J, Linde JA, Sevcik S, Lytle LA. Teaching goal-setting for weight-gain prevention in a college population: insights from the CHOICES Study. J Health Educ Teach. 2013;4(1):39–49.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  59. Walsh JR, White AA, Kattelmann KK. Using PRECEDE to develop a weight management program for young adults. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2014;46(2):S1–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Laska MN, Pasch KE, Lust K, Story M, Ehlinger E. The differential prevalence of obesity and related behaviors in two- vs. four-year colleges. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2011;19(2):453–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. VanKim NA, Laska MN. Socioeconomic disparities in emerging adult weight and weight behaviors. Am J Health Behav. 2012;36(4):433–45. Low parental education and financial strain are associated with unhealthy weight control behaviors and weight-gain-promoting behaviors in a large sample of young adults. Results underscore the importance of moving beyond 4-year college settings for intervening with this age group.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  62. Jeffery RW, French SA. Socioeconomic status and weight control practices among 20- to 45-year-old women. Am J Public Health. 1996;86(7):1005–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  63. Larson N, Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M, van den Berg P, Hannan PJ. Identifying correlates of young adults’ weight behavior: survey development. Am J Health Behav. 2011;35(6):712–25.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  64. Nelson MC, Lust K, Story M, Ehlinger E. Credit card debt, stress, and key health risk behaviors among college students. Am J Health Promot. 2008;22(6):400–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Pelletier JE, Graham DJ, Laska MN. Social norms and dietary behaviors among young adults. Am J Health Behav. 2014;38(1):144–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Wlaschin J. Peer influence on weight related behaviors during the transition to college. (Dissertation). University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy, http://purl.umn.edu/116557. Accessed October 5, 2015.

  67. Graham DJ, Pelletier JE, Neumark-Sztainer D, Lust K, Laska MN. Perceived social-ecological factors associated with fruit and vegetable purchasing, preparation, and consumption among young adults. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2013;113(10):1366–74.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. Leahey TM, Gokee LaRose J, Fava JL, Wing RR. Social influences associated with BMI and weight loss intentions in young adults. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2011;19(6):1157–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  69. Rancourt D, Leahey TM, LaRose JG, Crowther JH. Effects of weight-focused social comparisons on diet and activity outcomes in overweight and obese young women. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015;23(1):85–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  70. Weller JE, Dziegielewski SF. The relationship between romantic partner support styles and body image disturbance. Behav Soc Environ. 2004;10(2):71–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  71. Berge JM, MacLehose R, Eisenberg ME, Laska MN, Neumark-Sztainer D. How significant is the ‘significant other’? Associations between significant others’ health behaviors and attitudes and young adults’ health outcomes. Int J Behav Phys Act Nutr. 2012;9:35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  72. Markey CN, Markey PM. Romantic relationships and body satisfaction among young women. J Youth Adolesc. 2006;35(2):256–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  73. Linde JA, Sevcik SM, Petrich CA, …, Lytle LA. Translating a health behavior change intervention for delivery to 2-year college students: the importance of formative research. Transl Behav Med. 2014;4(2):160–169.

  74. Merchant G, Weibel N, Patrick K, …, Marshall S. Click “like” to change your behavior: a mixed methods study of college students’ exposure to and engagement with Facebook content designed for weight loss. J Med Internet Res. 2014;16(6):e158.

  75. Napolitano MA, Hayes S, Bennett GG, Ives AK, Foster GD. Using Facebook and text messaging to deliver a weight loss program to college students. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2013;21(1):25–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  76. Hebl MR, Ruggs EN, Singletary SL, Beal DJ. Perceptions of obesity across the lifespan. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008;16(Suppl2):S46–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  77. Latner JD, Stunkard AJ, Wilson GT. Stigmatized students: ages, sex, and ethnicity effects in the stigmatization of obesity. Obes Res. 2005;13(7):1226–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  78. Chen EY, Brown M. Obesity stigma in sexual relationships. Obes Res. 2005;13(8):1393–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Phelan SM, Burgess DJ, Puhl R, Dyrbye LN. The adverse effect of weight stigma on the well-being of medical students with overweight or obesity: findings from a national survey. J Gen Intern Med. 2015;30(9):1251–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  80. Brunson JA, Overup CS, Nguyen ML, Novak SA, Smith CV. Good intentions gone awry? Effects of weight-related social control on health and well-being. Body Image. 2014;11(1):1–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Himmelstein MS, Incollingo Belsky AC, Tomiyama AJ. The weight of stigma: cortisol reactivity to manipulated weight stigma. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015;23(2):368–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  82. Vartanian LR, Shaprow JG. Effects of weight stigma on exercise motivation and behavior: a preliminary investigation among college-aged females. J Health Psychol. 2008;13(1):131–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  83. Major B, Hunger JM, Bunyan DP, Miller CT. The ironic effects of weight stigma. J Exp Soc Psychol. 2014;51:74–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  84. Donnelly JE, Hill JO, Jacobsen DJ, …, Washburn RA. Effects of a 16-month randomized controlled trial on body weight and composition in young, overweight men and women: the Midwest Exercise Trial. Arch Intern Med. 2003;163(11):1343–1350.

  85. Quindry JC, Yount JC, O’Bryant D, Rudisill ME. Exercise engagement is differently motivated by age-dependent factors. Am J Health Behav. 2011;35(3):334–45.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  86. Pauline JS. Physical activity behaviors, motivation, and self-efficacy among college students. Coll Stud J. 2013;47(1):64–74.

    Google Scholar 

  87. Smith BL, Handley P, Eldredge DA. Sex differences in exercise motivation and body image satisfaction among college students. Percept Mot Skills. 1998;86(2):723–32.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  88. US Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010, Understanding and improving health, vol. 1. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  89. Betts NM, Amos RJ, Keim K, Peters P, Stewart B. Ways young adults view foods. J Nutr Educ. 1997;29(2):73–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  90. Laska MN, Larson NI, Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M. Does involvement in food preparation track from adolescence to young adulthood and is it associated with better dietary quality? Findings from a 10-year longitudinal study. Public Health Nutr. 2012;15(7):1150–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  91. Larson NI, Laska MN, Story M, Neumark-Sztainer D. Predictors of fruit and vegetable intake in young adulthood. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012;112(8):1216–22.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  92. Larson NI, Perry CL, Story M, Neumark-Sztainer D. Food preparation by young adults is associated with better diet quality. J Am Diet Assoc. 2006;106(12):2001–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  93. Laska MN, Graham D, Moe SG, Lytle L, Fulkerson J. Situational characteristics of young adults’ eating occasions: a real-time data collection using personal digital assistants. Public Health Nutr. 2011;14(3):472–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  94. O’Reilly GA, Cook L, Spruijt-Metz D, Black DS. Mindfulness-based interventions for obesity-related eating behaviors: a literature review. Obes Rev. 15(6):453–461.

  95. Gast J, Campbell Nielson A, Hunt A, Leiker JJ. Intuitive eating: associations with physical activity motivation and BMI. Am J Health Promot. 2015;29(3):e91–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  96. Mintz LB, Betz NE. Prevalence and correlates of eating disordered behaviors among undergraduate women. J Couns Psychol. 1988;35(4):463–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  97. Quick V, Larson N, Eisenberg ME, Hannan PJ, Neumark-Sztainer D. Self-weighing behaviors in young adults: tipping the scale toward unhealthy eating behaviors? J Adolesc Health. 2012;51(5):468–74.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  98. Neumark-Sztainer D, van den Berg P, Hannan PJ, Story M. Self-weighing in adolescents: helpful or harmful? Longitudinal associations with body weight changes and disordered eating. J Adolesc Health. 2006;39:811–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  99. Bertz F, Pacanowski CR, Levitsky DA. Frequent self-weighing with electronic graphic feedback to prevent age-related weight gain in young adults. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015;23(10):2009–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  100. Gokee LaRose J, Gorin AA, Wing RR. Behavioral self-regulation for weight loss in young adults: a randomized controlled trial. Int J Behav Phys Act Nutr. 2009;6:10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  101. Wing RR, Tate D, LaRose JG, …, Espeland MA. Frequent self-weighing as part of a constellation of healthy weight control practices in young adults. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015;23(5):943–949.

  102. Katterman SN, Butryn ML, Hood MM, Lowe MR. Daily weight monitoring as a method of weight gain prevention in healthy weight and overweight young adult women. J Health Psychol. 2015.

  103. Gokee LaRose J, Tate DF, Gorin AA, Wing RR. Preventing weight gain in young adults: a randomized controlled pilot study. Am J Prev Med. 39(1):63–68.

  104. Laska MN, Pelletier JE, Larson NI, Story M. Interventions for weight gain prevention during the transition to young adulthood: a review of the literature. J Adolesc Health. 2012;50(4):324–33. A comprehensive review of interventions targeting weight gain prevention among young adults.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  105. Nelson MC, Story M, Larson NI, Neumark-Sztainer D, Lytle LA. Emerging adulthood and college-aged youth: an overlooked age for weight-related behavior change. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008;16(10):2205–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  106. Limbers CA, Young D. Executive functions and consumption of fruits/vegetables and high saturated fat foods in young adults. J Health Psychol. 2015;20(5):602–11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  107. Burke MA, Heiland FW, Nadler CM. From “overweight” to “about right”: evidence of a generational shift in body weight norms. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2010;18(6):1226–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  108. Jeffers AJ, Cotter EW, Snipes DJ, Benotsch EG. BMI and depressive symptoms: the role of media pressures. Eat Behav. 2013;14(4):468–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  109. Sainsbury A, Hay P. Call for an urgent rethink of the ‘health at every size’ concept. J Eat Disord. 2014;2:8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  110. Yu Z, Han S, Zhu J, Sun X, Ji C, Guo X. Pre-pregnancy body mass index in relation to infant birth weight and offspring overweight/obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2013;8(4):e616–27.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 806 West Franklin Street, PO Box 842018, Richmond, VA, 23284, USA

    Autumn Lanoye

  2. Department of Psychology, Center for Health, Intervention, and Prevention, University of Connecticut, 2006 Hillside Road, Unit 1248, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA

    Amy A. Gorin

  3. Department of Health Behavior and Policy, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, 830 East Main Street, 4th Floor, Richmond, VA, 23219, USA

    Autumn Lanoye & Jessica Gokee LaRose

Authors
  1. Autumn Lanoye
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Amy A. Gorin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jessica Gokee LaRose
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jessica Gokee LaRose.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

Autumn Lanoye, Amy A. Gorin, and Jessica Gokee LaRose declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Etiology of Obesity

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lanoye, A., Gorin, A.A. & LaRose, J.G. Young Adults’ Attitudes and Perceptions of Obesity and Weight Management: Implications for Treatment Development. Curr Obes Rep 5, 14–22 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-016-0188-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-016-0188-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation