Are You Currently on a Diet? What Respondents Mean When They Say 'Yes'

Male and female university students were asked the questions "Are you currently on a diet to lose weight?" and "Are you currently on a diet to maintain your weight?" Respondents were asked to clarify positive responses by listing weight-control behaviors in which they were engaged. Responses were coded into 12 categories of dieting methods. Results indicated women and men who diet to lose weight engage in a wider variety of weight-loss behaviors than those engaged in dieting to maintain weight. Findings further indicated differences in dieting methods between individuals dieting to lose weight as opposed to dieting to maintain weight.