For freshmen at Penn State, body image may play a deciding role in their sexual activities.

A recently released Penn State study titled "Does Body Image Play a Role in Risky Sexual Behavior?" reported that body image and sexual activity among college freshmen are closely linked.

"We looked at first-year students because we were interested in what was going on during the transition to university life, during their first time away from home and their parents," said Eva S. Lefkowitz, co-author of the study and associate professor of human development and family studies at Penn State. "We found that body image had a different meaning for sexually active males and females."

According to the study, sexually active men with a positive body image were more likely to engage in unprotected sex with multiple partners. However, the report indicates that sexually active women with a positive body image were less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior than a woman with a negative body image.

Lefkowitz added that compared to their abstinent peers, sexually active college freshmen were more focused on their appearances and generally had better body images.

Linda LaSalle, University Health Education Services coordinator, said body image is an issue at all college campuses.

"The research makes sense that there would be a relationship between body image and sexual activity," LaSalle said.

To some freshmen at Penn State, the results of the study were far from surprising.

"Girls who have a good body image respect themselves more and are less likely to feel pressured to have unprotected sex," Mindi Brown (freshman-political science) said. "Guys who have a good body image feel that they are expected to act a certain way and to put it out there."

Matt Mangiaracina (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) agreed that men who find themselves attractive are more likely to have sex.

"In your mind, as a guy, if you feel like you're attractive, you know that you can have sex, and if you don't think you're attractive, you won't go for it," Mangiaracina said.

Gayle Jacobson (freshman-biology) said the difference in body image between freshmen who are having sex and those who are not is understandable.

"If you're not having sex, you don't feel like you're fitting in or doing what's expected," Jacobson said.

Lefkowitz said the results published in the study were what she and the other authors, Meghan M. Gillen and Cindy L. Shearer, expected.

The study concluded that men with a positive view of their own bodies will have the confidence to follow the male stereotype of sexual freedom and participate in unprotected sex with multiple partners, Lefkowitz said.

"In contrast, for females, a positive view of one's body may provide the confidence to protect themselves when engaging in sexual behaviors," she said.