Patterns in weight reduction behaviour by weight status in schoolchildren

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationships between weight reduction behaviour among non-overweight schoolchildren and dietary habits, perception of health, well-being and health complaints. Design: Analysis of the 2006 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey, a cross-sectional study involving schoolchildren aged 10-17 years. Setting: Schools in the Republic of Ireland. Results: The proportion of children (n 3599) engaged in weight reduction behaviour ('dieting' among non-overweight students) was 10?3 %. Older children, females and those from higher social classes (SC) were more likely to report such behaviour. Non-overweight schoolchildren who reported weight reduction behaviour were less likely than those not engaged in such behaviour to frequently consume sweets, soft drinks, crisps and chips/fried potatoes (OR from 0?39 ( Conclusions: Weight reduction behaviour among non-overweight schoolchildren is associated with considerable risk to physical health and emotional well-being. Since the risks associated with such behaviour varies by weight status, health professionals and researchers need to consider these issues in parallel. Keywords Weight reduction behaviourNon-overweight children Health and well-beingThe increase in prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents is of major public health concern (1)(2)(3)(4) . Obesity in childhood is associated with medical and psychosocial complications (5) and is likely to track into adulthood (2,(5)(6)(7) . Prevention and intervention programmes for children have focused on family-and school-based initiatives, but long-term weight loss is difficult to achieve when adverse environmental factors overwhelm behavioural and educational techniques designed to modify diet and increase participation in physical activity (5) . In light of the obesity epidemic, it is perhaps not surprising that dieting is such a prevalent behaviour among children (8)(9)(10)(11) some of whom employ healthy dieting strategies to lose weight (9,12) . Self-reports of 'dieting' can, however, include unhealthy dietary practices and restrictive eating (10,12,13) , with negative impacts on nutrient intakes (14) and dieting often clusters with other risk behaviours (8,15,16) . There are also psychosocial risks associated with dieting, such as low self-esteem and depressive symptoms (8,(16)(17)(18)(19) . In addition, dieting is associated with weight gain (20)(21)(22)(23) and is also a risk factor for the development of a partial or full eating disorder (23)(24)(25)(26) . The risks associated with dieting during childhood and adolescence, although normative, have led many to believe that it is not a harmless behaviour (20,22,25) . Dieting is not confined to those who are overweight and obese, but is also prevalent among children who are not overweight and who are the focus of the current study (8,(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35) . Indeed, perception of being overweight and body dissatisfaction, irrespective of weight status, are considered key factors in weight loss attempts (36) ....

Unhealthy Weight‐control Behaviours, Dieting and Weight Status: A Cross‐cultural Comparison between North American and Spanish Adolescents

“…In general, although overweight adolescents are more likely than their non‐overweight peers to report dieting and UWCB, these behaviours are also prevalent in non‐overweight youth (Crow et al, ; Kelly et al, ; Kim & Kim, ; López‐Guimerà et al, ; Neumark‐Sztainer & Hannan, ; Neumark‐Sztainer et al, ). Therefore, it is important that youth of all weight groups be included in efforts aimed at preventing the use of unhealthy behaviours to control or lose weight.…”

“…The high prevalence of these behaviours is cause for concern, given that results from a broad range of studies indicate that dieting and UWCB are associated with less healthy dietary patterns and may have a negative effect on both physical and psychosocial health (Crow, Eisenberg, Story, & Neumark‐Sztainer, ; French & Jeffery, ; Goldschmidt et al, ; Guest et al, ; Kelly, Molcho, & Gabhainn, ; Larson, Neumark‐Sztainer, & Story, ; Neumark‐Sztainer, Hannan, Story, & Perry, ; NeumarkSztainer, Story, Beth, Resnick, & Blum, ; Rawana, Morgan, Nguyen, & Craig, ; Santos, Richards, & Bleckley, ; Stice & Bearman, ; Tomiyama et al, ; Turner et al, ). In addition, longitudinal studies indicate that engaging in unhealthy and extreme weight‐control behaviours increases risk for weight gain, overweight status, disordered eating behaviours and the development of clinical eating disorders (Field et al, ; Neumark‐Sztainer et al, ; Neumark‐Sztainer et al, ; Neumark‐Sztainer, Wall, Story, & Sherwood, ; Patton et al, ; Patton, Selzer, Coffey, Carlin, & Wolfe, ; Stice, Cameron, Killen, Hayward, & Taylor, ; Stice, Presnell, Shaw, & Rohde, ).…”

Utilizing the Health Belief Model to predicting female middle school students' behavioral intention of weight reduction by weight status

“…For weight reduction, the majority of adolescent girls adopted healthy strategies such as moderate dieting by reducing their meal sizes and snacks, and exercise, which can provide benefits to overweight and obese girls. However, at the same time, some female adolescents used unhealthy strategies to lose weight like skipping meals, fasting, vomiting, or taking diet pills [1,2,5,6,8]. …”

“…Several motives for dieting were found in the studies with adolescents. Self-perception of overweight [2,3,5,7,15], lower body satisfaction [6,16-18], and an inaccurate perception of their weight [19] were the motives which drove them to go on a diet.…”

Are normal-weight adolescents satisfied with their weight?

“…19 A longitudinal study conducted in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, among 358 students aged 11 to 14 years, showed that the prevalence of body dissatisfaction increased among girls as they grew up, while the opposite was observed among boys. 25 In an evaluation on 3,096 Irish students of healthy weight, Kelly et al 26 29 or weight loss and that they regulated emotions, whereas in reality body dissatisfaction had the power to trigger the start of smoking.…”