Homophily and gender differences in unhealthy weight control behaviors among adolescents: a longitudinal school-based friendship network study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Unhealthy weight control behaviors (UWCBs) are widespread in adolescents and have devastating consequences. Friendship network is potentially an important influence on university students' UWCBs. This study employs social network analysis to investigate the homophily of UWCBs among university students within peer networks and gender differences.

Methods

A longitudinal study comprising two data collection waves was conducted on 612 undergraduate students from five schools at two universities in Guangdong Province, China, forming five sociometric networks. UWCBs, incorrect self-perception of obesity, depression, and anxiety were measured using standard scales. Descriptive statistics, assortativity tests and network autocorrelation models were utilized for data analy

SUBMITTER: Luo R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12016062 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature