scholarly journals Prevalence of overweight misperception and weight control behaviors among normal weight adolescents in the United States

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 365-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen S. Talamayan ◽  
Andrew E. Springer ◽  
Steven H. Kelder ◽  
Emmanuel C. Gorospe ◽  
Karen A. Joye
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Weight Control ◽  
The United States ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Weight Control Behavior ◽  
Weight Control Behaviors ◽  
Control Behavior ◽  
Unhealthy Weight Control ◽  
Unhealthy Weight

Weight perceptions and weight control behaviors have been documented with underweight and overweight adolescents, yet limited information is available on normal weight adolescents. This study investigates the prevalence of overweight misperceptions and weight control behaviors among normal weight adolescents in the U.S. by sociodemographic and geographic characteristics. We examined data from the 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). A total of 9,714 normal weight U.S. high school students were included in this study. Outcome measures included self-reported height and weight measurements, overweight misperceptions, and weight control behaviors. Weighted prevalence estimates and odds ratios were computed. There were 16.2% of normal weight students who perceived themselves as overweight. Females (25.3%) were more likely to perceive themselves as overweight than males (6.7%) (p < 0.05). Misperceptions of overweight were highest among white (18.3%) and Hispanic students (15.2%) and lowest among black students (5.8%). Females (16.8%) outnumbered males (6.8%) in practicing at least one unhealthy weight control behavior (use of diet pills, laxatives, and fasting) in the past 30 days. The percentage of students who practiced at least one weight control behavior was similar by ethnicity. There were no significant differences in overweight misperception and weight control behaviors by grade level, geographic region, or metropolitan status. A significant portion of normal weight adolescents misperceive themselves as overweight and are engaging in unhealthy weight control behaviors. These data suggest that obesity prevention programs should address weight misperceptions and the harmful effects of unhealthy weight control methods even among normal weight adolescents.

Factors Associated With Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviors Among a Representative Sample of U.S. High School Students

2020 ◽  
pp. 105984052096549
Author(s):  
Chung-Bang Weng ◽  
Jiunn-Jye Sheu ◽  
Huey-Shys Chen
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Risk Behaviors ◽  
Weight Control ◽  
Health Risk Behaviors ◽  
School Students ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Weight Control Behaviors ◽  
Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviors ◽  
Unhealthy Weight Control ◽  
Unhealthy Weight

Adolescents often practice unhealthy behaviors to lose weight or keep from gaining weight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has conducted biennial Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) of various health risk behaviors since 1991 using U.S. representative samples of high school students and is therefore best for us to identify risk/preventive factors associated with unhealthy weight control behaviors (UWCB). We quantitatively assessed the association between various health risk behaviors with UWCB by gender using YRBS data. Due to the absence of UWCB items since 2015, we analyzed the latest (2013) data using binary multiple logistic regression. Among the 13,583 participants, 22.7% of girls and 10.1% of boys engaged in UWCB. Among girls and boys separately, the common significant factors included suicidal behaviors, alcohol drinking, misused prescription drug, feeling depressed, skipping breakfast, and attending physical education class. School nurses are suggested to have knowledge about the aforementioned risk factors and provide assessment, consultation, and education to help reduce UWCB.

Promotion of Healthy Weight-control Practices in Young Athletes

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 97 (5) ◽  
pp. 752-753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Bulimia Nervosa ◽  
Disordered Eating ◽  
Athletic Performance ◽  
Weight Control ◽  
Weight Class ◽  
Weight Control Behaviors ◽  
Unhealthy Weight Control ◽  
Diet Pills ◽  
Unhealthy Weight

Many athletes engage in unhealthy weight-control practices. This new policy statement urges pediatricians to attempt to identify and help these athletes and provides information about how to support sound nutritional behavior. Athletes may engage in unhealthy weight-control practices, particularly in sports in which thinness or "making weight" is judged important to success, such as body building, cheerleading, dancing (especially ballet), distance running, diving, figure skating, gymnastics, horse racing, rowing, swimming, weight-class football, and wrestling.1-3 Some athletes may use extreme weight-loss practices that include overexercising; prolonged fasting; vomiting; using laxatives, diuretics, diet pills, other licit or illicit drugs, and/or nicotine; and use of rubber suits, steam baths, and/or saunas. The majority of these disordered eating behaviors do not meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed, criteria4 for anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. In two surveys of 208 female collegiate athletes, 32% and 62% practiced at least one of the following unhealthy weight-control behaviors: self-induced vomiting, binge eating more than twice weekly, and using laxatives, diet pills, and/or diuretics.5,6 Of 713 high school wrestlers in Wisconsin, 257 (36%) demonstrated two or more behaviors related to bulimia nervosa.7 In a survey of 171 collegiate Indiana wrestlers concerning their behaviors in high school, 82% had fasted for more than 24 hours, 16% had used diuretics, and 9.4% had induced vomiting at least once a week.8 Many athletes are secretive about these potentially harmful practices. Disordered eating may have a negative short-term impact on athletic performance. Athletes who lose weight rapidly by dehydration are probably impairing their athletic performance, especially if it involves strength or endurance,9 and these strength deficits may persist even after rehydration.10

scholarly journals Differential Risk Factors for Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviors by Sex and Weight Status Among U.S. Adolescents

2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason M. Nagata ◽  
Andrea K. Garber ◽  
Jennifer L. Tabler ◽  
Stuart B. Murray ◽  
Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Weight Control ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Weight Control Behaviors ◽  
Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviors ◽  
Unhealthy Weight Control ◽  
Unhealthy Weight ◽  
Differential Risk
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