O'Toole said some of the main factors that affect the way men and women think about their body comes from media, peers and stress. O'Toole pointed out that the media now shows people that are anorexic. This refers to the additional weight freshman gain in their first year of college. Most of this comes from eating at different times and eating more fried foods. According to Helminiak women and men face a problem of obtaining a certain appearance from their peers.
Students see how their friends or others look on campus and they want to look the same way.
O'Toole reinforced this, saying there is the pressure to look the same and fit in with everyone else. O'Toole mentioned when women and men are in their late teens early 20's their bodies begin to physically change and many do not want to accept those changes. This is a stress men and women put themselves because when their body is changing they think it is not acceptable. O'Toole gave several tips including to stop weighing yourself every day, and to look in the mirror and see what it is you like about your body.