Perceptions, Barriers & Motivators to Achieving a Healthy Weight Among College Students
Dr. Susan Bach, Assistant Professor in Nursing, co-authored an article entitled, “Perceptions, Barriers, and Motivators to Achieving a Healthy Weight Among College Students,” which was published in the Winter Edition of the Journal of the Nurse Practitioner Association New York State (December 2021).
This study examined factors college students encounter in their efforts to combat obesity.
The Health Belief Model (HBM) provided the theoretical framework for the study. A convenience sample of overweight and obese students were recruited via a de-identified email using the college health clinic’s electronic medical records. An anonymous weblink was inserted into the email to allow for participant completion of five questionnaires. Results suggested that knowledge is not a significant barrier to weight control and that the greatest obstacle for students is motivation.