February 2002 - Study Suggests Need to Examine Shared Predictive Factors for Obesity and Disordered Eating Behavior in Adolescents

"Different intervention strategies that address the broad spectrum of weight-related concerns and behaviors need to be developed, implemented, and evaluated," state the authors of an article published in the February 2002 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. In an effort to develop effective interventions aimed at preventing obesity and unhealthy dieting/disordered eating in adolescents, the study discussed in this article (1) examined specific weight-related concerns and behaviors in a large population-based sample of adolescent girls and boys; (2) compared weight-related concerns and behaviors among underweight, nonoverweight, moderately overweight, and very overweight adolescents, and (3) explored the overlap between overweight status and unhealthy weight-related behaviors.

Data for the study were drawn from Project EAT (Eating Among Teens), a comprehensive study of adolescent nutrition and obesity. The overall population for the present study consisted of 4,746 adolescents from 31 public middle schools and high schools in urban and suburban school districts in the St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN, area. Surveys were administered within school classes to assess a range of factors of potential relevance to nutritional health and obesity among adolescents. Height and weight measurements were also taken.

Findings are as follows:

• Adolescents reported a high prevalence of weight-related concerns and behaviors; however, healthy weight-control practices were more commonly reported than were practices considered unhealthy or extreme;
• Many adolescents reported using specific healthy weight-control behaviors; however, many nonoverweight and overweight adolescents reported engaging in unhealthy and extreme weight-control behaviors;
• While overweight status was associated with increased unhealthy weight-control behaviors, many of the overweight adolescents accurately perceived themselves as overweight, reported that they cared about controlling their weight, and had engaged in healthy weight-control behaviors during the past year.

The authors point out that interventions aimed at preventing and treating obesity traditionally focus on increasing physical activity and decreasing calorie intake, while those aimed at preventing disordered eating/eating disorders tend to focus on promoting a positive body image and on dieting prevention. Basing their conclusions on these findings, they assert that predictive factors for obesity and disordered eating behaviors co-occur for many adolescents and suggest a need for interventions that identify and address the broad spectrum of weight-related disorders.

Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M, Hannan PJ, Perry CL, Irving LM. 2002. Weight-related concerns and behaviors among overweight and non-overweight adolescents: implications for preventing weight-related disorders. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 156(2):171-178.

(Source: MCH Alert, 2/22/02)

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