Gender Differences in Weight Cycling and Cardiovascular Health

Authors

Lindsay A. Carter, Grand Canyon UniversityFollow
Kayley Brennan, Grand Canyon UniversityFollow
Lillian M. Tang, Grand Canyon UniversityFollow
Ella Browder, Grand Canyon UniversityFollow
Elise C. Bayer, Grand Canyon UniversityFollow
Brooke Chapman, Grand Canyon UniversityFollow
Elizabeth Liu, Grand Canyon UniversityFollow
Paige Albrecht, Grand Canyon UniversityFollow
Zachary ZeiglerFollow

Abstract

Weight cycling, the repeated pattern of weight loss and regain, is common among college students and may negatively impact cardiovascular health. Previous research suggests potential sex differences in physiological responses to weight fluctuations, but limited studies have examined whether gender moderates the relationship between weight cycling behaviors and cardiovascular outcomes. PURPOSE: To examine whether gender significantly moderates the relationship between weight cycling behavior and cardiovascular health outcomes in college students. METHODS: College students (n=284, 58% male, age=20.8±3.2 years) completed weight cycling assessments including the Weight Cycling Index (WCI) and number of 10+ pound weight cycles. Cardiovascular measures included central systolic blood pressure (CSBP), central diastolic blood pressure (CDBP), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and augmentation pressure (AP). Independent t-tests compared gender differences in key variables. Pearson correlations examined relationships between weight cycling variables and cardiovascular outcomes, calculated separately by gender to test for moderation effects. RESULTS: Males reported significantly higher WCI scores (M=35.38 vs 17.00, pCONCLUSION: While descriptive patterns suggest potential gender differences in weight cycling-cardiovascular relationships, formal statistical testing did not support significant moderation effects. The study provides evidence for consistent small-to-moderate associations between weight cycling and cardiovascular outcomes across both genders, with pulse wave velocity showing the strongest overall relationship (r=0.207).

Recommended Citation

Carter, Lindsay A.; Brennan, Kayley; Tang, Lillian M.; Browder, Ella; Bayer, Elise C.; Chapman, Brooke; Liu, Elizabeth; Albrecht, Paige; and Zeigler, Zachary (2025) "Gender Differences in Weight Cycling and Cardiovascular Health," International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 14: Iss. 5, Article 47.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol14/iss5/47