THE EFFECT OF WEIGHT PERCEPTION, SATISFACTION, AND BEHAVIOR ON ANABOLIC STEROID USE AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS

Abstract

Few studies have examined predictors of anabolic steroid (AS) use among young adults not engaged in professional sports; especially at the college level. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between gender, perceived AS use, perceived user weight, satisfaction with weight, healthy and unhealthy weight-control behaviors and self-reported AS use in college students.

This study utilized data from 27,774 students who participated in the 2011 National College Health Assessment Survey. Logistic regression models layered by self-perceived weight status, were run to examine the relationship between independent variables and the dependent variable (AS use). Results indicated that age, gender, unhealthy weight-control behaviors, and perceived peer steroid use significantly predict anabolic steroid use among college students. The three separate models explained 20.3%, 12.9%, and 3.7% of the variance in AS use.

Results from this study should be considered when designing interventions to address anabolic steroid use among college students.