Perceived stress, mental health symptoms, and deleterious behaviors during the transition to college.

Background: This study examined associations between different sources of chronic perceived stress and deleterious behaviors (eating disorder symptoms, insufficient sleep, and insufficient vigorous physical activity) among first-year college students.

Methods: The study used data on 885 first-year students (ages 18-20) at a large public university in North Carolina. The prevalence of deleterious behaviors was evaluated.