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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Jennifer Roy, BS¹, Adrienne A. White, PhD, RD¹, and Mary Greaney, PhD, MPH². (1) Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Maine, 5735 Hitchner Hall, Orono, ME 04469, 207-581-3301, jennifer.l.roy@umit.maine.edu, (2) Public Health Nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Room 310A, Boston, MA 02115

College males (n=47; 18-24 years) participated in six focus groups, either face-to-face or online, to investigate energy balance and weight maintenance. Males, recruited through the University of Maine email system, were led by a trained moderator in 90 minutes of open-ended questions. Face-to-face audiotapes were transcribed and online transcripts were printed. Transcripts were verified, coded twice and analyzed for emerging themes. Theme matrices and summary paragraphs were developed. When males were asked what it would take for them to eat and exercise to maintain healthy weights, they suggested tracking goals and accomplishments, planning for exercise and meals, purchasing and preparing one's own food, exercising in groups, having a personal trainer and increasing access to workout equipment. Healthy weight was depicted as what was “healthy for each person,” including “functioning in daily activity without excess stress to the body” and “eating right and exercising for an extended period.” Their responses to balancing energy input and expenditure were to “balance food intake with level of activity,” base daily intake and exercise on the previous day, and use specific food rules such as “counting calories” or “eating less carbs.” However, many males said they ate when hungry and what they wanted without thinking of balance. Rather than being able to add more physical activity to their lives, males instead mentioned alternatives to current behaviors such as biking rather than driving, using stairs rather than elevators and doing calisthenics while watching television. These findings may be useful when tailoring obesity prevention programs for males.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the presentation, participants will be able to

• Identify college males’ views on eating and physical activity for healthy weight maintenance.; and
• Apply ideas about healthy eating and physical activity to obesity prevention programming for college males.

Keywords: Health Behavior, Computer-Assisted

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation