TY - JOUR
T1 - A Latent Class Analysis of Weight-Related Health Behaviors Among 2- and 4-Year College Students and Associated Risk of Obesity
AU - Mathur, Charu
AU - Stigler, Melissa
AU - Lust, Katherine
AU - Laska, Melissa
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Society for Public Health Education.
PY - 2014/12/24
Y1 - 2014/12/24
N2 - Little is known about the complex patterning of weight-related health behaviors in 2- and 4-year college students. The objective of this study was to identify and describe unique classes of weight-related health behaviors among college students. Latent class analysis was used to identify homogenous, mutually exclusive classes of nine health behaviors that represent multiple theoretically/clinically relevant dimensions of obesity risk among 2- versus 4-year college students using cross-sectional statewide surveillance data (N = 17,584). Additionally, differences in class membership on selected sociodemographic characteristics were examined using a model-based approach. Analysis was conducted separately for both college groups, and five and four classes were identified for 2- and 4-year college students, respectively. Four classes were similar across 2- and 4-year college groups and were characterized as “mostly healthy dietary habits, active”; “moderately high screen time, active”; “moderately healthy dietary habits, inactive”; and “moderately high screen time, inactive.” “Moderately healthy dietary habits, high screen time” was the additional class unique to 2-year college students. These classes differed on a number of sociodemographic characteristics, including the proportion in each class who were classified as obese. Implications for prevention scientists and future intervention programs are considered.
AB - Little is known about the complex patterning of weight-related health behaviors in 2- and 4-year college students. The objective of this study was to identify and describe unique classes of weight-related health behaviors among college students. Latent class analysis was used to identify homogenous, mutually exclusive classes of nine health behaviors that represent multiple theoretically/clinically relevant dimensions of obesity risk among 2- versus 4-year college students using cross-sectional statewide surveillance data (N = 17,584). Additionally, differences in class membership on selected sociodemographic characteristics were examined using a model-based approach. Analysis was conducted separately for both college groups, and five and four classes were identified for 2- and 4-year college students, respectively. Four classes were similar across 2- and 4-year college groups and were characterized as “mostly healthy dietary habits, active”; “moderately high screen time, active”; “moderately healthy dietary habits, inactive”; and “moderately high screen time, inactive.” “Moderately healthy dietary habits, high screen time” was the additional class unique to 2-year college students. These classes differed on a number of sociodemographic characteristics, including the proportion in each class who were classified as obese. Implications for prevention scientists and future intervention programs are considered.
KW - 2-and 4-year college students
KW - audience segmentation
KW - co-occurrence of health behaviors
KW - latent class analysis with a distal outcome
KW - obesity
KW - young adults
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84911158452&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84911158452&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1090198114537062
DO - 10.1177/1090198114537062
M3 - Article
C2 - 24990599
AN - SCOPUS:84911158452
SN - 1090-1981
VL - 41
SP - 663
EP - 672
JO - Health Education and Behavior
JF - Health Education and Behavior
IS - 6
ER -