Gender Differences in the Associations of Gender Role Characteristics and Weight Self-Stigma with Binge Eating Among College Students in China

1. Introduction

Binge eating is a significant eating-related problem among young adults. It is characterized by eating an unusually large amount of food together with a sense of loss of control. Recurrent binge eating can be related to emotional distress, body image concerns, weight-related stigma, and later eating disorder symptoms (American Psychiatric Association, 2022; Gormally et al., 1982). The college period is especially relevant because students experience changes in daily routines, social relationships, academic pressure, financial conditions, and independent decision making. These changes may influence eating patterns and the way students evaluate their own bodies. College surveys have also identified eating disorder symptoms as a continuing mental health concern in student populations (Eisenberg et al., 2011).

College students do not develop eating behaviors only through hunger or nutrition knowledge. Eating can also be used to manage stress, regulate mood, respond to social situations, or cope with negative self-evaluation. Research on eating pathology has shown that negative affect, dietary restraint, and body dissatisfaction may contribute to binge eating risk (Cash et al., 2004; Stice et al., 2013). Earlier reviews also linked eating pathology to restraint, body concern, and cycles of negative emotion (Polivy & Herman, 2002). Depression is also relevant because depressive symptoms may increase emotional eating and reduce the ability to use adaptive coping strategies. Wu (2026) reported that academic emotions can influence college students' academic performance, which supports the broader view that emotional experiences are linked to how students function in daily life. Wu (2024) also showed that individual characteristics are related to college students' happiness, suggesting that student well-being should not be treated as a single general outcome.

Gender is another factor that may shape binge eating. Men and women may receive different social messages about body size, appearance, self-control, and appropriate behavior. Women are often exposed to strong appearance expectations and may experience pressure to maintain a thin body. Men may face pressure to appear muscular, controlled, and physically strong. These expectations do not affect all students in the same way, but they can shape how students interpret eating, body weight, and social judgement. A gender-sensitive approach is therefore needed when examining the psychological processes related to binge eating.

Gender role characteristics provide one way to study these processes. Masculinity and femininity are not necessarily opposite ends of a single continuum. A person may report high levels of both characteristics, and the meanings of these characteristics may vary across cultural settings. The Chinese Sex-Role Inventory-50 was developed for Chinese college students and assesses masculinity and femininity as separate dimensions (Liu et al., 2011). This approach is useful because it allows researchers to examine whether particular gender-related characteristics are associated with eating behavior without placing students into fixed categories.

Weight self-stigma is a second important factor. Weight self-stigma refers to negative beliefs, shame, and self-devaluation that occur when people internalize negative social views about body weight. It is related to, but different from, public weight stigma. Public stigma involves negative attitudes or treatment from other people, whereas self-stigma involves the application of those negative views to oneself. The Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire was developed to assess self-devaluation and fear of enacted stigma as two related parts of the construct (Lillis et al., 2010). The Chinese Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire was later developed to measure this experience in a Chinese cultural setting (Lin & Lee, 2017). The wider weight bias literature also distinguishes internalized stigma from general body dissatisfaction (Durso & Latner, 2008; Pearl & Puhl, 2018; Vartanian & Porter, 2016).

Weight stigma may influence binge eating through several pathways. Students who feel ashamed of their weight may experience distress, avoid social situations, or use food to cope with negative emotions. Weight stigma may also increase body dissatisfaction and make eating behavior more difficult to regulate. A review of the literature concluded that weight stigma is associated with harmful health outcomes and should not be treated as a simple motivation for weight control (Puhl & Heuer, 2009). Experimental research further suggests that weight stigma can increase short-term food intake among people who are concerned about their weight (McFarlane et al., 1998; Schvey et al., 2011).

The relationship between weight self-stigma and binge eating may differ by gender. Women may experience stronger pressure to meet thinness ideals and may therefore be more likely to connect body weight with personal value. Men may also experience weight stigma, especially when they do not meet muscularity or body shape expectations, but the social meaning may be different. A recent study found that weight self-stigma was related to binge eating after controlling for body mass index and psychological distress, which suggests that stigma may be more than a simple reflection of body size (Patarinski et al., 2025).

Although the literature on weight stigma and eating behavior is growing, several gaps remain. First, many studies focus on obesity stigma or body dissatisfaction without examining weight self-stigma as a distinct psychological construct. Second, gender is often treated only as a control variable. This approach may miss gender-specific associations involving masculinity, femininity, and self-stigma. Third, relatively few studies have examined these relationships among Chinese college students, despite early cross-cultural evidence indicating the presence of eating pathology in Chinese populations (Zhang et al., 1998).

The present study addresses these gaps by examining male and female college students separately. Masculinity and femininity are treated as continuous gender role characteristics. Weight self-stigma is assessed with the Chinese WSSQ, and binge eating is assessed with the Simplified Chinese Binge Eating Scale. Depressive symptoms, grade level, and body mass index are included as covariates because they may also be related to binge eating. The study has three objectives. First, it examines gender differences in gender role characteristics, weight self-stigma, depressive symptoms, body mass index, and binge eating. Second, it examines the bivariate associations among the main variables. Third, it compares predictors of binge eating between male and female students.

2. Theoretical Background

2.1 Gender Role Characteristics and Binge Eating

Gender role refers to social meanings and expectations connected with being a man, a woman, or another gendered social position. Gender role characteristics are not the same as biological sex. They describe qualities that people may associate with themselves, such as assertiveness, independence, warmth, sensitivity, or interpersonal concern. Bem (1974) argued that masculinity and femininity should be assessed as separate dimensions because individuals can show both types of characteristics. This view provides a useful basis for studying eating behavior because it avoids assuming that all men and women have the same psychological profile.

The CSRI-50 was developed in response to changes in gender roles among Chinese college students (Liu et al., 2011). The instrument contains masculine, feminine, and neutral characteristics, but the present study focuses on the masculinity and femininity dimensions. Higher masculinity scores may reflect stronger endorsement of assertiveness, independence, and achievement-related characteristics. Higher femininity scores may reflect stronger endorsement of warmth, sensitivity, and interpersonal concern. These characteristics may influence eating behavior through social identity, emotion regulation, and responses to body expectations.

Masculinity may be associated with binge eating in different ways. Some masculine expectations emphasize control, toughness, and the ability to tolerate pressure. When students believe that they should remain strong and avoid showing distress, they may be less likely to seek emotional support. Food may then become a private coping strategy. At the same time, some masculine contexts may normalize large meals, competitive eating, or high-calorie foods. These processes could produce a positive association between masculinity and binge eating among male students, but the direction is not certain.

Femininity may also have mixed relationships with binge eating. Stronger femininity may be associated with attention to relationships and emotional experience, which could increase awareness of body-related judgement. However, it may also be associated with social restraint and greater concern about conforming to appearance expectations. Female students with stronger femininity may therefore report lower binge eating if they avoid behaviors that they see as inconsistent with social expectations. Alternatively, strong appearance pressure may increase dieting and negative affect, which could raise binge eating risk. Because both pathways are plausible, empirical testing is needed.

The present study does not assume that masculinity is harmful or that femininity is protective. Population studies also show that binge eating is not limited to one clinical profile or one body size group (Kessler et al., 2013; Udo & Grilo, 2018). Instead, it asks whether the associations between these characteristics and binge eating differ by gender group. This approach is consistent with research showing that gender-related health behavior is shaped by social context rather than by a single fixed personality trait (Courtenay, 2000). It also recognizes that gender role characteristics may interact with other processes, such as weight stigma and depressive symptoms.

2.2 Weight Self-Stigma and Binge Eating

Weight stigma includes negative stereotypes, social judgement, discrimination, and self-directed shame related to body weight. Public discussions sometimes present stigma as a way to motivate people to lose weight. However, the psychological literature shows that stigma can harm well-being and may interfere with healthy behavior change (Puhl & Heuer, 2009; Major et al., 2014; Hunger et al., 2015). Weight discrimination has been associated with psychological distress, lower self-esteem, and poorer health behavior (Puhl & Lessard, 2020). These findings make it important to distinguish between supportive health communication and shaming messages.

Weight self-stigma is the internal process through which people apply negative weight-related beliefs to themselves. The Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire includes self-devaluation and fear of enacted stigma (Lillis et al., 2010). Self-devaluation concerns the belief that one's weight makes one less acceptable or less worthy. Fear of enacted stigma concerns expectations of rejection, criticism, or unfair treatment. Both dimensions may affect eating behavior even when a person is not currently experiencing direct discrimination.

The Chinese WSSQ was developed to provide a culturally appropriate measure of weight self-stigma and includes 12 items (Lin & Lee, 2017). The instrument is useful for the present study because it focuses on the individual's experience rather than only on body mass index. Two students with the same body mass index may report very different levels of self-stigma. One may feel comfortable with their body, while the other may feel ashamed, expect criticism, and avoid social situations.

Several mechanisms may connect weight self-stigma with binge eating. First, stigma can increase negative affect and psychological stress, creating a cyclic burden on emotional regulation (Tomiyama, 2014). Smoking research has shown that negative affect can both precede and follow addictive behavior, depending on the social context (Kassel et al., 2003). A similar process may occur with food when eating is used to regulate distress. Second, self-stigma may increase body dissatisfaction and rigid attempts to control eating. Cognitive behavioral models of binge eating identify dietary restraint, negative mood, and overvaluation of shape and weight as related processes (Fairburn et al., 2003). Third, stigma may reduce help seeking because students fear that disclosure will lead to judgement.

Weight self-stigma may therefore be positively associated with binge eating after controlling for body mass index and depressive symptoms. This does not mean that self-stigma causes binge eating in every student. A cross-sectional association may reflect shared causes, reciprocal effects, or unmeasured factors. The present study treats the association as a statistical relationship and avoids causal interpretation.

2.3 Why Gender May Change the Association

Gender may change the association between weight self-stigma and binge eating because body weight carries different social meanings for men and women. Women are often judged against thinness ideals, while men may receive more mixed messages that value both leanness and muscularity. These standards are not universal, but they influence how students interpret body shape and eating behavior. Research on eating disorders has also shown meaningful gender differences in prevalence and presentation (Hudson et al., 2007).

Female students may be more likely to experience weight self-stigma as a threat to social acceptance and personal identity. Weight concerns may affect clothing, dating, classroom participation, exercise, and social media use. When stigma is strong, binge eating may become a way to manage shame or escape from appearance-related thoughts. The association may also be reinforced by cycles of dieting, perceived failure, and renewed self-criticism.

Male students may experience weight stigma through a different route. Social pressure may focus on muscularity, athletic appearance, or the belief that men should be physically strong. A male student who does not meet these expectations may still experience shame, but he may describe the problem using different terms. Some men may also hide distress because emotional disclosure is viewed as inconsistent with masculine expectations. This could make the relationship between weight self-stigma and binge eating more difficult to observe.

Gender role characteristics may add another layer. If masculinity is associated with control and toughness, male students with higher masculinity may respond to stress through private eating or may participate in large-meal social norms. If femininity is associated with appearance monitoring and social evaluation, female students with higher femininity may either restrict eating to conform to expectations or avoid binge eating because it conflicts with a desired social image. These possibilities justify separate models for male and female students.

Based on the literature, the study tested the following hypotheses:

H1: Male students report higher masculinity scores than female students.

H2: Female students report higher femininity scores than male students.

H3: Female students report higher weight self-stigma and binge eating than male students.

H4: Weight self-stigma is positively associated with binge eating in both gender groups.

H5: Masculinity is positively associated with binge eating among male students.

H6: Femininity is negatively associated with binge eating among female students.

H7: The strength of the associations between gender role characteristics, weight self-stigma, and binge eating differs by gender group.

3. Method

3.1 Participants and Procedure

The target population consisted of adult college students enrolled in universities or colleges in mainland China. Participants were recruited between May and July 2026 through the online survey platform Wenjuanxing. A purposive sampling approach was combined with a snowball sampling procedure. The survey link was first distributed through student networks and was then shared with classmates, roommates, friends, and other college students who might meet the eligibility criteria. This procedure helped recruit students from different regions and city levels.

Before entering the formal questionnaire, respondents completed screening questions. The screening assessed whether they were at least 18 years old, were currently enrolled in a university or college in mainland China, and could complete the questionnaire in simplified Chinese. Only respondents who met all criteria were allowed to continue. Participation was voluntary, and respondents could stop at any point without penalty. No names, student numbers, phone numbers, or other direct identifiers were requested.

A total of 960 respondents completed the online questionnaire. Questionnaires with substantial missing responses, extremely short completion times, or obvious straight-line response patterns were excluded before analysis. After screening, 908 valid questionnaires were retained, resulting in a valid response rate of 94.6%. The final sample included 551 male students (60.7%) and 357 female students (39.3%). The mean age was 20.41 years (SD = 1.36). Table 1 presents the main demographic characteristics.

Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of the Participants (N = 908)

BMI = body mass index. BMI categories follow common Chinese adult screening cutoffs.

3.2 Measures

The questionnaire included the measures listed in Table 2. Items were presented in simplified Chinese. Unless otherwise stated, items were rated on a five-point scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Higher scores indicated higher levels of the measured construct.

Table 2. Measures and Internal Consistency

Gender Role Characteristics. Gender role characteristics were assessed with the Chinese Sex-Role Inventory-50 developed for Chinese college students (Liu et al., 2011). The present study used the masculinity and femininity dimensions as continuous scores. Each dimension contained 10 trait items. Participants rated how well each characteristic described them. Masculinity items reflected qualities such as independence, assertiveness, and decisiveness. Femininity items reflected qualities such as warmth, sensitivity, and interpersonal concern. The mean of the items in each dimension was calculated. In the present data, Cronbach's alpha was .86 for masculinity and .84 for femininity.

Weight Self-Stigma. Weight self-stigma was measured with the Chinese Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire, which contains 12 items and two dimensions: self-devaluation and fear of enacted stigma (Lin & Lee, 2017). Items assessed feeling ashamed of one's weight and expecting other people to judge or reject the respondent because of weight. The overall mean score was used in the main analyses. Higher scores indicated stronger weight self-stigma. Cronbach's alpha was .91 for the total scale.

Binge Eating. Binge eating was measured with the Simplified Chinese Binge Eating Scale, a 16-item instrument developed for Chinese respondents (Yan et al., 2024). The scale includes items assessing loss of control, emotional and behavioral features during overeating, and related distress. Responses were scored according to the simplified Chinese scoring procedure, with higher total scores indicating more severe binge eating symptoms. Cronbach's alpha was .89 in the present sample.

Depressive Symptoms. Depressive symptoms were measured with the 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D; Radloff, 1977). Participants reported the frequency of depressive symptoms during the previous week. Higher total scores indicated more depressive symptoms. The Chinese wording used in the survey was reviewed for clarity before administration. Cronbach's alpha was .90.

Grade Level. Grade level was measured with one demographic item. Freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior status were coded from 1 to 4.

Body Mass Index. BMI was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Height and weight were self-reported unless the participant had a recent measured value. The item asked respondents to report their current height and weight. The value was used as a continuous covariate in the regression models.

3.3 Data Analysis

Analyses were conducted in four stages. First, frequencies and percentages were calculated for demographic variables. Means and standard deviations were calculated for the continuous study variables. Second, independent-samples t tests examined gender differences. Third, Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated for the total sample. Fourth, hierarchical multiple linear regression models were estimated separately for male and female students.

In the regression models, grade level, BMI, and depressive symptoms were entered in Step 1. Masculinity, femininity, and weight self-stigma were entered in Step 2. This procedure tested whether the main predictors explained additional variance in binge eating beyond the covariates. Standardized regression coefficients, R squared, change in R squared, and model F values were reported. Variance inflation factor values were examined, and all values were below 3.20.

To examine whether the associations differed statistically by gender, a pooled regression model was also estimated. Gender was coded 0 for male and 1 for female. The model included the main effects and three interaction terms: gender by masculinity, gender by femininity, and gender by weight self-stigma. Continuous predictors were mean centered before interaction terms were computed. The interaction model was interpreted as a comparison of association strength rather than as evidence of causal moderation.

4. Results

4.1 Descriptive Statistics and Gender Differences

The total sample had a mean BMI of 22.84 (SD = 3.42), a mean CES-D score of 19.76 (SD = 8.45), and a mean binge eating score of 15.82 (SD = 8.05). The mean masculinity score was 4.62 (SD = 0.70), and the mean femininity score was 4.94 (SD = 0.68). The mean weight self-stigma score was 27.84 (SD = 8.89).

As shown in Table 3, male students reported higher masculinity and BMI than female students. Female students reported higher femininity, weight self-stigma, depressive symptoms, and binge eating. The gender difference in age was not statistically significant. The results support H1, H2, and H3.

Table 3. Descriptive Statistics and Gender Differences for Key Study Variables

***p < .001

4.2 Correlations Among Study Variables

Pearson correlations were calculated for the total sample. Masculinity was positively correlated with femininity, weight self-stigma, BMI, and binge eating. Femininity was positively correlated with weight self-stigma and depressive symptoms but was negatively correlated with binge eating. Weight self-stigma showed a positive association with depressive symptoms, BMI, and binge eating. Depressive symptoms were positively correlated with BMI and binge eating. BMI was also positively correlated with binge eating.

The strongest bivariate association with binge eating was depressive symptoms, followed by weight self-stigma. No correlation exceeded .70. Therefore, the correlation matrix did not suggest severe multicollinearity among the study variables.

Table 4. Pearson Correlations Among Main Study Variables

*p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001

4.3 Hierarchical Regression Among Male Students

A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted among the 551 male students. In Step 1, grade level, BMI, and depressive symptoms explained 20.1% of the variance in binge eating, F(3, 547) = 45.88, p < .001. BMI was positively associated with binge eating, beta = .16, p < .001. Depressive symptoms were also positively associated with binge eating, beta = .36, p < .001. Grade level was not significant.

After masculinity, femininity, and weight self-stigma were entered in Step 2, the explained variance increased to 26.0%, delta R squared = .059, p < .001. The final model was significant, F(6, 544) = 31.72, p < .001. Masculinity was positively associated with binge eating, beta = .16, p < .001. This result supports H5. Femininity was not significant among male students, beta = -.03, p = .421. Weight self-stigma was positively associated with binge eating, beta = .18, p < .001. Depressive symptoms remained the strongest predictor, beta = .31, p < .001, while BMI remained a smaller but significant predictor, beta = .11, p = .014.

Table 5. Hierarchical Regression Predicting Binge Eating Among Male Students

N = 551. *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001

4.4 Hierarchical Regression Among Female Students

The same procedure was used for the 357 female students. In Step 1, grade level, BMI, and depressive symptoms explained 24.2% of the variance in binge eating, F(3, 353) = 37.66, p < .001. BMI was positively associated with binge eating, beta = .12, p = .018. Depressive symptoms were positively associated with binge eating, beta = .43, p < .001. Grade level was not significant.

In Step 2, the addition of masculinity, femininity, and weight self-stigma increased the explained variance to 38.5%, delta R squared = .143, p < .001. The final model was significant, F(6, 350) = 36.42, p < .001. Femininity was negatively associated with binge eating, beta = -.14, p = .006, supporting H6. Weight self-stigma was positively associated with binge eating, beta = .29, p < .001. The association was larger than the corresponding coefficient in the male model. Masculinity was not significant among female students, beta = .05, p = .318. Depressive symptoms remained significant, beta = .34, p < .001, while BMI was no longer significant after the main predictors were entered.

Table 6. Hierarchical Regression Predicting Binge Eating Among Female Students

N = 357. *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001

4.5 Interaction Analysis

The pooled interaction model explained 31.4% of the variance in binge eating. The gender by masculinity interaction was significant, beta = .09, p = .021. The gender by femininity interaction was also significant, beta = -.11, p = .008. The gender by weight self-stigma interaction was significant, beta = .10, p = .013. These results indicate that the three associations differed in strength across gender groups. The positive association between masculinity and binge eating was stronger among male students, the negative association between femininity and binge eating was stronger among female students, and the positive association between weight self-stigma and binge eating was stronger among female students. These findings support H7.

5. Discussion

The purpose of this study was to examine whether gender role characteristics and weight self-stigma were associated with binge eating differently among male and female college students in mainland China. The results support a gender-sensitive model. Female students reported higher femininity, weight self-stigma, depressive symptoms, and binge eating, while male students reported higher masculinity and BMI. Weight self-stigma was positively associated with binge eating in both groups, but the coefficient was stronger among female students. Masculinity was positively associated with binge eating among male students, whereas femininity was negatively associated with binge eating among female students. These associations remained after controlling for grade level, BMI, and depressive symptoms.

The first main finding concerns gender role characteristics. Male students reported higher masculinity, and female students reported higher femininity. This pattern is consistent with the expected structure of the CSRI-50 and with the idea that students continue to report gender-related self-descriptions even as gender roles change (Liu et al., 2011). The regression results add a more specific point. Masculinity was positively associated with binge eating among male students but not among female students. One interpretation is that some male students may use eating as a private response to pressure because masculine expectations can discourage open discussion of distress. Another interpretation is that masculine social contexts may normalize large portions or high-calorie eating. These interpretations remain tentative because the study did not measure eating norms, emotional suppression, or meal context.

Femininity was negatively associated with binge eating among female students. The result may indicate that female students who report stronger feminine characteristics are more likely to follow social expectations that discourage visible overeating. It may also reflect greater attention to interpersonal evaluation. However, this finding should not be understood as evidence that femininity is inherently protective. Appearance expectations can also produce dieting, shame, and body dissatisfaction. The observed negative association may therefore reflect a short-term behavioral pattern rather than better psychological well-being.

The second main finding concerns weight self-stigma. Weight self-stigma was related to binge eating in both gender groups, and the association was stronger among female students. This result is consistent with the view that stigma can worsen health behavior rather than motivate healthy change (Puhl & Heuer, 2009). Students who evaluate themselves negatively because of weight may experience more stress and use food to regulate emotion. Stigma may also increase avoidance and reduce help seeking, which can leave students alone with repeated eating episodes. The association remained significant after BMI was controlled, suggesting that the psychological meaning of weight may matter beyond body size itself.

The stronger association among female students may reflect more intense exposure to thinness expectations. Women are often evaluated through appearance, and weight-related messages are common in family, peer, advertising, and social media settings. When self-stigma becomes connected to identity, a binge episode may produce further shame, which may then increase the risk of another episode. This cycle is compatible with cognitive behavioral accounts of binge eating that describe interactions among negative emotion, dietary restraint, and overvaluation of shape and weight (Fairburn et al., 2003). The present results do not establish the direction of the cycle, but they suggest that stigma reduction should be included in prevention and counseling.

Depressive symptoms were significant predictors in both groups. This finding is consistent with the role of negative affect in eating pathology and indicates that binge eating prevention should not focus only on nutrition or body weight. Students may need support with mood regulation, academic stress, sleep, interpersonal conflict, and help seeking. The result also fits the wider higher education literature, which shows that students' emotional experiences are related to their daily functioning and well-being (Wu, 2026). BMI was a significant predictor in the male model and in the first step of the female model, but its effect became smaller after psychological variables were added. This pattern suggests that body size is relevant, but it does not fully explain binge eating.

The interaction analysis strengthens the interpretation of the separate regressions. Gender was related to the strength of the associations for masculinity, femininity, and weight self-stigma. The interaction results do not mean that male and female students are completely different groups. Many students may share similar stressors, eating patterns, and stigma experiences. The results instead indicate that the same predictor may carry different meanings across social contexts. This is why gender should not be entered only as a demographic control variable when the research question concerns gendered psychological processes.

The findings have practical implications. First, college counseling centers should screen for binge eating and weight self-stigma without using shame-based language. Students may not disclose eating episodes if they expect criticism. Second, prevention programs should teach coping strategies for negative emotion and social pressure. Third, body weight information should be handled carefully. BMI can be useful for health assessment, but it should not be treated as a direct measure of self-control or personal value. Fourth, services for male students should include eating and body image concerns even when students do not use traditional eating disorder language. Fifth, programs for female students should address thinness pressure and stigma while avoiding new appearance rules.

The study also has implications for gender role education. Masculinity and femininity should not be used to label students or prescribe correct behavior. Instead, counselors and educators can help students question rigid expectations about strength, attractiveness, emotional expression, and eating. A student should be able to seek support without feeling that help seeking conflicts with their gender identity. This approach is consistent with health research that treats gender as a social and relational process rather than a simple demographic category (Courtenay, 2000).

Several limitations should be considered. First, the cross-sectional design does not establish temporal or causal relationships. Longitudinal studies are needed to test whether weight self-stigma predicts later binge eating or whether binge eating increases later self-stigma. Second, the use of online purposive and snowball sampling may limit representativeness. Students without stable internet access or students who avoid online health surveys may be underrepresented. Third, height, weight, and eating behavior were self-reported, so recall and social desirability bias are possible. Fourth, the analysis used binary male and female groups because this was the structure of the available sample, and it does not represent the full range of gender identities. Fifth, the study did not assess body dissatisfaction, dietary restraint, emotional eating, family criticism, social media exposure, or eating disorder treatment history. Future research should include these variables and should test whether specific WSSQ dimensions show different patterns.

6. Conclusion

This study examined gender role characteristics, weight self-stigma, and binge eating among college students in mainland China. The findings suggest that binge eating is related to different gendered factors across male and female students. Masculinity was positively associated with binge eating among male students, whereas femininity was negatively associated with binge eating among female students. Weight self-stigma was positively associated with binge eating in both groups and showed a stronger association among female students. Depressive symptoms were significant in both models.

College prevention and counseling should therefore move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. Support should reduce weight-related shame, improve emotion regulation, and make help seeking acceptable for students of all genders. Future studies should use longitudinal designs, broader gender measures, and culturally sensitive assessments of stigma and eating behavior.

Ethics Declaration

Participation was voluntary and anonymous. The questionnaire did not request direct personal identifiers. Respondents were informed of the study purpose, the voluntary nature of participation, and their right to discontinue before submission.

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