Need for Cultivating a Weight-Safe Environment on the College Campus: Why We Need a HAES approach

BACKGROUND: Weight has been a concern for college students, as well as colleges, since the early days of higher education. The emphasis on weight has been increasing over the past few decades and especially so today with the emphasis on obesity. College has the purpose of preparing students for futures in careers and life as adults, but the emphasis on weight may prevent some from attending college, as well as impact retention, and limit individual development and future success.

METHODS: A pilot study was conducted during 2009 to develop interview questions, recruitment methods, inclusion criteria, and data analysis protocol. Qualitative interviews were conducted among a population of college students at two major mid-atlantic universities.

RESULTS: Major recruitment challenges were encountered due to the nature of the topic, as the researcher expected. The participants were predominantly female, white, and heterosexual. All students expressed concerns about weight, being most intense during freshman year and then declining through each progressive academic year. Students also expressed anxiety over the emphasis of weight on the college campus.

CONCLUSIONS: The results may indicate the emphasis on weight in the college environment is contributing to some student's delay in development, negatively impacting learning experiences, as well as social experiences on the college campus. Using the data from the interviews and applying to the HAES model, college campuses might consider adopting the HAES approach to reduce the anxieties about weight college students experience in the college environment